The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has welcomed an EU vote to remove the ban on Indian mango imports which paves the way for trade this season.

A release from Defra details how experts from the U.K. Government's Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate worked with Indian authorities to help them prepare for an EU audit of its export system.

This led to the EU Plant Health Standing Committee voting to lift restrictions much earlier than expected as originally the embargo was put in place from May 2014 to December 2015.

The U.K. voted in favor of lifting the ban together with other member states, meaning imports of India's premium fruit will resume in time for the season that begins in a few weeks' time.

In a statement, Minister for the Natural Environment, Lord de Mauley, says he’s pleased that trade will resume.

"Today’s (Jan. 20) decision demonstrates the marked improvement India has made to its export system and it is important that these standards are maintained so that trade can continue and UK plant health remains protected.

"I am very pleased that the UK has been able to play its part in supporting India through this period, including through technical assistance provided by Defra’s Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate."

Imports will resume once the new EU legislation has been formally adopted and published by the European Commission in around one month's time.

Monitoring will continue to ensure the safety of produce entering the EU and to determine whether restrictions should also be lifted on four other products that were suspended at the same time as mango; two types of gourd, the taro plant and eggplant.

The Commission initially put restrictions in place last May and Defra adds that the early easing of the embargo is down to the hard work of the Indian authorities and huge improvements made in the mango sector.

Defra has, over the last few months, been working closely with Indian counterparts to help improve the export system, facilitate an early review of the ban and carried out a number of training visits in key mango-growing regions of India.

Other British members of industry and government are also reacting to the good news.

Leicester East MP Keith Vaz, who has been calling for an end to the ban since it was first introduced in May 2014, is pleased that Indian Alphonso variety will once again be supplied to the U.K. market.

"I am delighted that the Commission and all the EU member states who voted in favour have acted to end a ban which has caused so many problems for business in the UK and India," he says in a statement sent to www.freshfruitportal.com.

"Many people have been very supportive of the campaign, and my thanks go to the team from Fruity Fresh Ltd for working so hard on this issue for many months.

"The traders in Leicester must also be thanked for their unwavering support, and I am sure they will be delighted the campaign has come to fruition.

"Prime Minister Cameron was also very helpful, and I am pleased I can now keep my promise to deliver another basket of Alphonso mangoes to No. 10."

British-Indian mango importer and distributor Fruity Fresh has historically imported around 20% of the Indian mangoes coming into the U.K. Monica Bhandari from the company is delighted with the news.

"It vindicates our opinion that the ban should never have been put in place, but we are delighted that rather than losing three seasons we just lost one season," she told www.freshfruitportal.com.

"We are looking forward to the new season and hope the effect on public perception has not been harmful. We will have to ensure people understand that the ban was never related to public health. But our customers will be delighted by the news as we are.

"We are of course disappointed that other goods remain banned and we hope that the ban on those will also be lifted shortly. We hope that all parties have seen the ban on mangoes was unnecessary and that having lines of communication open is the best way forward for all parties."

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