NEW DELHI (TIP): Amid a temporary import ban on mangoes, a team of experts from European Union will visit India in September to check the measures put in place by the country with regard to fruits and vegetables. “In the light of concerted efforts on India’s part, food and veterinary office of European Commission has agreed to send an audit team in September to verify improvement in plant health controls and certification system with regard to fruits and vegetables,” Commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

The EU has prohibited import from India of five fruits and vegetables, which include mangoes, on account of interceptions of export consignments not compliant with EU phytosanitary (relating to plant life) regulations. India has taken several measures, including enhancement of capacity and numbers of inspecting staff and improvement in infrastructure, implementation of a standard operating procedure to guarantee safe exports and routing of all export consignments of perishables to EU through approved pack houses from April 1 to enable better inspection and certification. “India has not only informed the EU regarding implementation of these control systems but have also formally conveyed our disagreement on the temporary restriction imposed by the EU,” she said. In 2013-14, India has exported mangoes worth Rs 5,022 lakh (3,933 tonnes) as against Rs 3,559 lakh in 2012-13 (3,890 tonnes).