New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI) India has exported 12.5 tonnes of premium Dashehari and Langra variety mangoes from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, to Dubai via sea route - the first successful commercial sea shipment from the northern state under an extended 25-day harvest-to-market transit period, the agriculture ministry said on Wednesday.

The sea route export protocol was jointly developed by ICAR–Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (ICAR-CISH), Lucknow, and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

"This is the first successful commercial sea shipment of Dashehari and Langra mangoes from Uttar Pradesh to Dubai under an extended 25-day harvest-to-market transit period, demonstrating that premium Indian mangoes can now be exported economically through sea freight without compromising quality," the ministry said in a statement.

The achievement is expected to encourage exporters to increasingly adopt sea freight, thereby expanding India's fresh mango exports to the Gulf region and other international markets.

The successful validation of the sea-route protocol provides a sustainable pathway for increasing farmers' income through cost-effective exports.

Since sea freight is substantially more economical than air freight, the ministry said exporters were able to offer higher procurement prices to farmers.

"As a result, mango growers realised an additional income of approximately Rs 15–20 per kg over conventional export channels, significantly enhancing farm profitability while maintaining the competitiveness of Indian mangoes in international markets," it added.

The technology is expected to accelerate the commercialisation of sea-route exports of mangoes from Uttar Pradesh and other mango-producing states, opening new opportunities in the Gulf and other international markets while enhancing export earnings, reducing logistics costs, and improving the livelihoods of growers of Uttar Pradesh.

According to the ministry, the consignment was exported by Shehnaz Export, Amroha, in association with Attashi Global, to Lulu Group, UAE, one of the leading retail chains in the Gulf region, with technical guidance from ICAR-CISH and support from APEDA, the ministry said.

Mangoes were harvested on June 22 and handled in accordance with the recommended scientific post-harvest management practices.

The fruits were treated with METWASH developed by ICAR-CISH for extension of shelf life, scientifically graded, packed at the Amroha Pack House, loaded into a 40-foot reefer container, and transported to Dubai by sea under a continuous cold chain.

Owing to western disturbance-related delays, the consignment reached the destination market on July 17, completing a 25-day harvest-to-market transit period.

"Despite the extended transit time, nearly 90 per cent of the mangoes were found to be in good marketable condition upon arrival, demonstrating the effectiveness of the technology," the statement added. PTI LUX LUX BAL BAL BAL