APEDA Facilitates First Export of Fresh Mangoes from Jharkhand to United Kingdom

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, flagged off the first commerc...

What Happened

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, flagged off the first commercial consignment of fresh mangoes from Jharkhand to the United Kingdom on June 4, 2026, in Kolkata.
The consignment comprises 1.5 metric tonnes of fresh Amrapali mangoes sourced from Beura Farmer Producer Company Ltd. — an all-women Farmer Producer Company (FPC) in Bano Block, Simdega district, Jharkhand — and is being exported by M/s JGB Agrofresh Pvt Ltd., Kolkata, to London.
This milestone makes Jharkhand the latest Indian state to enter the international fresh fruit export market, previously not represented in this category.
The export followed an Export-Oriented Capacity Building Programme organised by APEDA on May 5, 2026, for Farmer Producer Companies, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and progressive farmers of Simdega district, covering export requirements, quality standards, and market opportunities.
The farmers associated with the FPC received higher returns compared to prevailing domestic market prices, demonstrating the income-enhancement potential of export-linked agriculture.

Static Topic Bridges

APEDA: Mandate and Establishment

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) was established under the APEDA Act, 1985, passed by Parliament in December 1985 and brought into force on February 13, 1986. It functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and serves as the nodal agency for promotion and development of exports across 14 scheduled agricultural and processed food product groups. APEDA's mandate includes market development, export quality standards, technology upgradation, and financial assistance to exporters and producer organisations.

Established: APEDA Act, 1985 (in force from February 13, 1986).
Parent ministry: Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Covers 14 scheduled product groups including fresh fruits, vegetables, processed foods, cereals, and dairy.
Functions: market development, quality certification, financial assistance, capacity building for FPOs/FPCs.
Over 100 registered GI products fall under APEDA's scheduled product categories.

Connection to this news: APEDA served as the facilitating agency for both the capacity-building programme (May 2026) and the flag-off of the consignment, demonstrating its operational role in enabling new geographies and producer collectives to access export markets.

Geographical Indication (GI) Tags for Indian Mangoes

India is the world's largest producer of mangoes, accounting for approximately 40–45% of global production. Several Indian mango varieties carry Geographical Indication (GI) tags, which certify their origin and unique quality characteristics. Notable GI-tagged mango varieties include Alphonso (Ratnagiri, Maharashtra), Dussehri (Malihabad, Uttar Pradesh), Langra (Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh), Himsagar (West Bengal), Fazli (West Bengal/Bihar), Kesar (Gir, Gujarat), and Jardalu (Bihar). The Amrapali variety (a cross between Dussehri and Neelam developed in 1971) is particularly well-suited for tribal and hilly regions due to its compact canopy.

India: world's largest mango producer (~40–45% of global output).
Major GI-tagged varieties: Alphonso, Dussehri, Langra, Himsagar, Kesar, Jardalu, Fazli.
Amrapali: a hybrid developed in 1971; compact tree, suited for high-density orchards and hilly terrain.
GI tags confer legal protection and premium market positioning for origin-specific varieties.
APEDA is the nodal agency for mango exports from India.

Connection to this news: Although Amrapali does not currently carry a GI tag, APEDA's export promotion of this variety from Jharkhand's tribal belt signals a push to integrate non-traditional growing regions into the premium agricultural export ecosystem.

Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) and Collective Agriculture

A Farmer Producer Company (FPC) is a hybrid entity combining features of a cooperative and a private limited company, registered under the Companies Act. FPCs aggregate small and marginal farmers to achieve economies of scale in input procurement, processing, storage, and market access, including exports. The government has promoted FPCs as a vehicle for doubling farmer income by connecting producers directly with markets and reducing intermediary dependency. The Beura FPC in Simdega — an all-women organisation in Jharkhand's tribal belt — represents the intersection of women's economic empowerment, tribal agriculture, and export market integration.

FPCs registered under Companies Act; promote collective agriculture.
Government target: 10,000 new FPOs/FPCs promoted under a central scheme (launched 2020).
FPCs enable small farmers to access export markets, quality certification, and institutional credit.
Beura FPC: all-women organisation in Simdega district (tribal belt of Jharkhand).

Connection to this news: The export directly demonstrates the practical outcome of government policy promoting FPCs — a women-led tribal FPC in one of India's least-developed districts has accessed the UK fresh produce market through APEDA's facilitation.

India-UK Agricultural Trade

The India-UK bilateral trade relationship has grown significantly, with both sides engaged in free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations. Agricultural exports from India to the UK include a range of processed and fresh products. Fresh mango exports require compliance with UK phytosanitary standards, including hot water treatment (HWT) protocols for controlling fruit fly infestations. The UK remains an important market for Indian mangoes, particularly for the South Asian diaspora community.

India-UK FTA negotiations ongoing (launched January 2022).
Fresh mango exports to UK require phytosanitary compliance including hot water treatment.
UK is an established market for Indian fresh mangoes (especially Alphonso).
Jharkhand now joins states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal in fresh fruit exports to the UK.

Connection to this news: The Jharkhand consignment to London represents both a trade milestone and a demonstration that APEDA's capacity-building programmes can open new corridors for states not traditionally associated with agricultural exports.

Key Facts & Data

Consignment: 1.5 metric tonnes of fresh Amrapali mangoes; flag-off: Kolkata, June 4, 2026.
Sourced from: Beura Farmer Producer Company Ltd. (all-women FPC), Bano Block, Simdega district, Jharkhand.
Exporter: M/s JGB Agrofresh Pvt Ltd., Kolkata; destination: London, UK.
APEDA established: February 13, 1986; under APEDA Act, 1985.
India: world's largest mango producer (~40–45% of global output).
Over 100 registered GI products under APEDA-scheduled categories; major GI mangoes include Alphonso, Dussehri, Kesar, Langra, Fazli, Himsagar, Jardalu.
Government target: 10,000 FPOs/FPCs promoted under central scheme (from 2020).
India-UK FTA negotiations launched: January 2022.