The first Indian mangoes are reportedly set to hit the Australian market after the industry gained access to the Oceanic country in June last year, according to  The Times of India. 

As with the U.S., Australia requires the mangoes be treated with irradiation prior to exports. 

Irradiation centres at Lasalgaon and Vashi are already processing mangoes to be exported to the U.S., while the former will treat Australia-bound fruit.

"We have been processing mangoes for export to USA at the Lasalgaon irradiation centre," an official from Vashi-based private firm Agrosurg Irradiators told The Times of India.

"The Australian market has opened for the country last year. Australia follows a similar export norm like USA, where it is mandatory to irradiate mangoes before export to Australia."

The source also said that although Australia had given the nod to mango exports from India in June 2016, no exports had taken place last year as the season had almost ended by then.

At present, there are three irradiation centres in the country of which two are in central region of Maharashtra - one at Lasalgaon and the other at Vashi in Mumbai. The third one is located in Bengaluru to the south of the India.

The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (Barc) has its irradiation centre at Lasalgaon in Nashik district. Agrosurg Irradiators has been commercially operating the Lasalgaon irradiation facility as per its agreement with Barc.

Last year, the Mahrashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board (MSAMB) set up its own irradiation centre at Vashi, according to the story.

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