$500,000 Mango Mystery: Why Were India’s Exports Rejected in USA
$500,000 Mango Mystery: Why Were India’s Exports Rejected, and Who’s Hiding the Truth?
In May 2025, U.S. authorities shattered Indian exporters’ hopes, rejecting 15 mango shipments worth $500,000 at Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta airports.
The reason? “Lapses in documentation” for the irradiation process meant to eliminate pests, specifically tied to the PPQ203 form.
These mangoes, irradiated at Mumbai’s MSAMB facility under a USDA officer’s watch, were destroyed, leaving exporters with nothing but questions.
The U.S. authorities cited lapses in documentation, particularly concerning the irradiation process required to eliminate pests, as the reason for rejection.
Exporters were given the option to either return the shipments or destroy them locally. Considering the perishable nature of mangoes and high return transportation costs, the exporters chose to destroy the shipments in the U.S., leading to an estimated financial loss of $500,000 for the Indian exporters
Was this a clerical slip, corruption, or something more?
The mangoes underwent irradiation—a 400-gray dose to kill pests and extend shelf life—on May 8–9, 2025, at Navi Mumbai’s MSAMB facility, supervised by a USDA officer.
The PPQ203 form, certifying compliance, cleared the shipments for Mumbai airport export.
Yet, U.S. Customs (CBP) found “incomplete or incorrect” forms, citing lapses in irradiation documentation.
No pests were detected; the issue was purely paperwork. With re-export too costly, the mangoes were trashed, costing exporters $500,000 and offering no insurance or government relief.
Exporters are livid. “How could we ship without a valid PPQ203?” one demanded. “We’re paying for mistakes at the facility,” said another, pointing to the USDA officer or MSAMB.
But answers are scarce. CBP hasn’t specified the lapses—missing signatures?
Wrong batch numbers? Incorrect irradiation data?
The USDA and MSAMB are silent, and APEDA passed the buck to MSAMB, which didn’t respond.
Media outlets like Economic Times and Financial Express vaguely reported “documentation irregularities,” leaving us in the dark.
The questions pile up.
What exactly failed in the PPQ203 forms?
Who’s responsible—the USDA officer, MSAMB, or someone else?
Was it incompetence, or do “bad deeds” lurk, like deliberate errors or U.S. bias favoring Latin American mangoes (90% market share vs. India’s 0.18%)?
Why are exporters left with a $500,000 loss and no recourse?
This rejection threatens India’s $500 million mango export industry.
Relying on one USDA officer for PPQ203 forms is a recipe for disaster.
Without transparency, suspicions of corruption or foul play grow.
We deserve clarity. Media must detail the irradiation lapses.
India needs robust systems—digital PPQ203s, dual checks—to prevent future losses.
Suggested Reading -
