US Turns Back 15 Indian Mango Shipments Over Paperwork Issues

U.S. officials rejected a minimum of 15 shipments of mangoes from India, due to mistakes in the paperwork. They directed the exporters to either return the shipment to India or eliminate it. The Economic Times reported that despite the oversight of a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspector in Mumbai, at least 15 shipments of Indian mangoes were denied due to paperwork problems concerning required irradiation. The fruit was turned away upon reaching airports in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta. The package experienced irradiation in Mumbai on May 8 and 9.

The exporters decided against re-exporting the cargo to India due to the mangoes' perishable nature and the expensive shipping costs. The officials highlighted the discrepancies in the paperwork concerning the irradiation procedure. It is a necessary process that subjects a fruit to controlled radiation levels to eliminate pests and enhance its longevity. They pointed out discrepancies in the PPQ203 form - an essential document for mango exports to the US - which could lead to losses of $500,000 (around Rs 4.3 crore), according to the Economic Times report.

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As per a USDA notification received by one of the affected exporters, the US Customs and Border Protection denied entry to the shipment "due to an incorrect issuance of PPQ203." Another exporter was informed that their shipment failed to meet the "entry requirement" - specifically, the necessary irradiation treatment. The announcement also mentioned that the shipment "must be destroyed or re-exported," and that the US government would not need to implement "corrective actions for this shipment."

Exporters firmly denied claims that the treatment was unfinished. They indicated that a USDA official supervises the irradiation process, conducted at a facility in Navi Mumbai. They asserted that the process was finished and that the PPQ203 form was given only after the procedure. The matter apparently involves the export of mangoes from the Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB), a USDA-certified facility in Vashi, Mumbai.