Japan Halts Indian Mango Imports Over Fumigation Concerns

Japan has halted imports of fresh mangoes from India this season after its plant quarantine officers flagged deficiencies in fumigation and related disinfection measures at Indian treatment facilities during an inspection visit in March.

ET has learnt that the disruption has effectively stopped shipments of Indian mango varieties popular in the Japanese market including Kesar, Alphonso, Langra and Banganapalli, according to three exporters and an Indian agri-scientist involved in the certification process, all of whom requested anonymity.

While the Indian government has not publicly commented on the issue, the peak mango export season from April to June is likely to pass without a resolution, even though Japan is not among the biggest buyers of Indian mangoes.

A March 31 statement issued by the Yokohama Plant Protection Association, citing a notification from Japan's government-run Plant Protection Station, said shipments carrying inspection certificates issued by India on or after March 25, 2026, would not be accepted. The Japanese-language statement added that imports of fresh mangoes from Indian facilities would remain suspended until authorities in Tokyo were satisfied that operational standards in India had improved.

The Yokohama Plant Protection Association is an industry body.

But it works closely with Japan’s plant quarantine authorities under the ministry of agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

In 2025-26, Gujarat’s Kesar variety accounted for the largest share of India’s mango exports to Japan, with shipments valued at $0.2 million out of total fresh and processed mango exports to the country worth $1.54 million.

“Yes, we are losing some dollars because Japan is not accepting our mangoes, but our biggest concern continues to be the steep rise in airfreight costs to the US — around ₹580-590 per kg compared with ₹250-350 last year. This is due to the conflict in West Asia, higher jet fuel prices and uncertainty linked to airline route changes,” said a Gujarat-based mango exporter, requesting anonymity.

“On Japan, we have heard that government authorities are in discussions with Japanese counterparts to meet phytosanitary requirements,” he added.

A phytosanitary certificate — mandatory for mango exports to Japan — is issued by the Faridabad-based Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage, an agency under the agriculture ministry.

Emails sent to the directorate and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), a commerce ministry body that promotes and regulates exports of farm products, did not elicit a response.

“I am not aware of the exact reasons behind the Japanese restrictions on Indian mangoes. However, I can confirm that we are not exporting mangoes to Japan this year,” said a Pune-based exporter.

“For us, the United States is a far more significant market. Our bigger concern is the frequent offloading of cargo by airlines, which often prioritise higher-value shipments such as pharmaceuticals over perishable goods like mangoes,” the exporter added.

India’s top five mango export markets by value in 2025-26, covering fresh, pulp and processed products, were the US, the UAE, the UK, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.