The authorities in the United States tossed out at least 15 shipments of mangoes from India, citing errors in the documentation process. They instructed the exporters to either send the shipment back to India or destroy it.
Although a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspector in Mumbai was in charge of the procedure, at least 15 shipments of Indian mangoes were refused because of paperwork issues related to mandatory irradiation, The Economic Times reported.
The fruit was rejected after arriving at airports in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta. The shipment underwent irradiation in Mumbai on May 8 and 9.
The exporters chose not to re-export the cargo to India because of the perishable nature of the mangoes and the high cost of shipping.
The officials pointed out the inconsistencies in the documentation related to the irradiation process. It is an obligatory step that exposes a fruit to regulated radiation dosages to eradicate pests and increase its shelf life.
They highlighted inconsistencies with the PPQ203 form - a required document for mangoes exported to the US - potentially resulting in losses of $500,000 (approximately Rs 4.3 crore), The Economic Times reported.
According to a USDA notification sent to one of the impacted exporters, the US Customs and Border Protection refused entrance to the consignment "because PPQ203 was issued incorrectly."
Another exporter received notice that their shipment did not match the "entry requirement" - more precisely, the required irradiation treatment.
The notice further stated that the shipment "must be re-exported or destroyed," and that the US government would not be required to take "remedial measures for this shipment."
Exporters strongly refuted allegations that the treatment was not completed. They pointed out that a USDA official oversees the irradiation procedure, which is carried out at a plant in Navi Mumbai.
They claimed the process was completed and that the PPQ203 form was only provided following the procedure.
The issue reportedly concerns the export of mangoes from the Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB), a USDA-approved plant in Vashi, Mumbai.
