EU decides to lift ban on import of mangoes from India

European Union (EU) has decided to lift seven-month-long ban on the import of mangoes from India. In this regard, a European Commission committee unanimously voted to lift the ban.
The ban was lifted after an audit carried out by the European Commission’s Food and Veterinary Office in India in September 2014.
This audit had showed that India world’s biggest producer of mangoes have made significant improvements in the phytosanitary export certification system of mangoes.
Background

• EU had imposed temporary ban on import of mangoes from in 1 May 2014 after authorities in Brussels found consignments of the premium Alphonso mangoes infested with fruit flies.
• Along with Alphonso mangoes they also had banned import of 4 vegetables- aubergines, bitter gourds, snake gourds and patra leaves.
• They had imposed ban citing the reason that fruit flies from these consignments may damage European salad crops.

However, it should be noted that EU has not lifted ban on these 4 vegetables and will be reviewed at later stage after collecting more evidence.

Month: Current Affairs - January, 2015