Japan Lifts Ban on Indian Mangoes

NEW DELHI - Jun 23/06 - SNS -- The Japanese government formally ended its 20-year old ban on imports of Indian mangoes.

The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries have formally communicated the decision to the Indian government stating that "Japan has formally lifted the ban on import of Indian mangoes in Japan on June 23, 2006 on the basis of the request by the Indian side, after confirming that there is no risk of infiltration of diseases and pests through previous scientific and technical examinations; and also getting acceptance through procedures like public hearing, public comment etc."

Shri Kamal Nath, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, has hailed the decision as marking "a major step forward in securing access to an important market for a major Indian agricultural product."

The lifting of the ban comes in the wake of Shri Kamal Nath's visit to Japan last week and his persistently pursuing the matter with the Japanese authorities ever since 2004. Shri Kamal Nath first took up the issue of market access for Indian mangoes with Nakagawa, Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in August 2004, and subsequently again during his visit to Tokyo in 2005, when he invited Japanese quarantine authorities to visit India for on-site tests and inspections.

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