INDIAN MANGO GROWERS TO SEIZE MALAYSIAN MARKET

By P. Vijian

NEW DELHI, June 1 (Bernama) -- India, the world's largest mango exporter,
planned to expand its market share in Malaysia this year after exports were
forecast to hit 70,000 tonnes this season.

After a pre-season fear of mango production could dip this year, mainly the
delicious Alphonso variety, due to extreme winter last year and non seasonal
rain, growers are now optimistic that exports would not dwindle.

"So far exports are fine. Initially there were concerns that the Alphonso
production might drop but there has been a late pick up.

"We are also planning a promotional programme to Malaysia later in June this
year, it is still at the inception stage," said V.K. Kaul, Deputy General
Manager of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development
Authority in an interview with Bernama.

Indian soft-skinned, fleshy and juicy mangoes are popular worldwide and in
2010 Malaysians imported nearly 400 tonnes mangoes valued over RM1 million.

But that's a miniscule figure compared with India's total exports of 65,000
tonnes last season.

India is major mango producer with total production of 13 million tonnes,
harvested during April and July, which amounts to 40 per cent of the world's
production.

"We have a large variety, our mangoes are sweet, full of flesh and good to
make juice," added Kaul.

Although India is home to almost 1,000 mango varieties, only 30 are
cultivated commercially – mainly the Alphonso, Banganpalli, Dashehari, Kesar and
Langda.