Current Events: EU Mango Ban

As of May 1, the European Union banned imports of Indian mangoes until December 2015. The ban comes after 200 shipments infested with fruit flies were discovered in Brussels in 2013, and extends to eggplants, two kinds of squash, and taro leaves. The EU claims that Indian exports are not sufficiently treated to reduce the risk of insect infestation; Indian officials say that a better examination and certification procedure has been put in place since the country was notified of the sanctions in March of this year. India, which produces forty percent of the world's mangoes, has threatened to take the case to the World Trade Organization.

The ban has wide-ranging impacts.

With a reduction in exports, Indian mango prices have dropped by fifteen to forty percent. This is good news for Indian mango consumers, who now have access to the higher-quality export product at lower prices. Especially prized are the Alphonso mangoes, now within reach for many middle-class consumers. Lower prices are not so good for farmers, who have already been hurt by unseasonal rain and hail leading to crop failure, or for the small-scale vendors now operating in a flooded marketplace.

However, the effects of the ban are limited because the EU is not the major destination for mango exports. In the 2012-2013 season, India produced 15 million metric tons, just 55,600 of which were exported. Of this fraction, less than ten percent went to EU countries. Most exports go to the Middle East, where there is a large Indian population. Over two seasons though, the ban could represent $10 million in losses for farmers, and will be particularly hard-hitting in the state of Maharashtra, which exports thirty percent of its crop to the EU. Some UK politicians are also concerned about the effect the ban will have on British importers and retailers of the fruit, which is especially popular there.

Other factors play into the low prices. Due to climactic changes affecting the fruit, farmers have been picking mangoes earlier and sending too many to the market. The global recession has also resulted in fewer shipments as corporate gifts, which make up a large percentage of business for some wholesalers.

Citing improved phytosanitary measures to control fruit flies, India has asked the EU to lift the ban; several British MP's have stated their support for a reversal of the restrictive measures.

Since the topic is mangoes, here is a recipe for delicious gazpacho, the perfect thing to cool down heated trade relations.

Mango Gazpacho with Mango Chutney (thanks to Ani at Whole Foods Market!)

• 1 cup mango juice
• 2 ripe mangos, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1 shallot
• ½ cucumber peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 cup blanched almonds
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• 6 mint leaves

Directions

1. The night before, place the almonds in a bowl and pour the juice over them. Allow to soak overnight.

2. The next day, place all ingredients in a blender and blend until it reaches desired consistency – less for chunky soup, longer for smoother.

If desired, serve with mango chutney: combine 8 oz. chopped dried mango, 1½ cups brewed black tea, ¼ cup raisins, 1 diced red onion, and ½ cup red wine vinegar in a saucepan. Simmer until the mixture is thick and the mangos have absorbed some of the liquid. The warm, sour chutney is a lovely contrast to the cool soup.

If you have extra chutney, use it in a grilled cheese with aged white cheddar and multi-grain bread!