New Delhi: In a blow to the country’s mango growers, Japan has banned Indian mangoes for the first time in 20 years.
Yes.. Japan has suspended imports of mangoes from India after Japanese quarantine officials found deficiencies in pest control measures at Indian processing plants during an inspection earlier this year.
The move has affected the main summer mango export season and has dealt a major blow to premium Indian mango varieties including Alphonso, Kesar, Langra and Baiganapalli.
First ban in 20 years:
This is the first time in nearly two decades that the Japanese government has imposed a ban on Indian mangoes. Earlier, Japan had banned mango imports from India due to a problem with fruit pests. The ban was later lifted in 2006 as India strengthened its processing methods.
Now, Japanese officials have again raised questions about whether Indian mango exports meet Japan’s stringent plant health standards. Japan follows a strict zero-tolerance policy against invasive pests like fruit flies that pose a threat to domestic agriculture.
Before every mango export season, Japan sends its quarantine officers to inspect Vapor Heat Treatment (VHT) centres in India. These centres are responsible for disinfecting mangoes before export.
VHT is a chemical-free method that destroys insects and fruit fly larvae by subjecting mangoes to controlled heat and humidity. This process is mandatory as per the export agreement between India and Japan.
The inspection process was conducted at the VHT centre in Rehmanpur, Uttar Pradesh, in March this year. According to reports, Japanese officials have identified some flaws in the fumigation and disinfection methods there.
However, neither the Indian nor Japanese governments have publicly disclosed the exact technical issues found during the inspection. Following the inspection, Japan’s Yokohama Plant Protection Association announced that it would not accept Indian mango consignments with inspection certificates issued after March 25, 2026.
Big blow to mango exporters:
Although Japan is not India’s largest mango market, exporters say the ban is a serious blow given the premium prices Indian mangoes fetch there.
India produces about 28 million metric tonnes of mangoes a year, making it the world’s largest mango producer. Most of the production is consumed domestically. But exports to high-value markets like Japan provide farmers and traders with greater profits.
Exporters fear that the ban could undermine confidence in India’s agricultural quality control systems and create concerns in other importing countries.
Farmers already in distress:
The timing of the ban has also added to the hardships of mango growers, especially in the Alphonso belt region of Maharashtra. Farmers have already reported heavy crop losses this year due to intense heat and unstable weather conditions caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon.
According to some government surveys, the crop has been damaged by up to 85-90 per cent in some areas. With production already down sharply, exporters fear that the ban imposed by Japan will further hit the income of farmers and exporters during the most important season of mango trade.