EU bans Indian mango imports

[GussieFinkNottle]

The tastiest mangoes are to be barred from the EU thanks to a few fruit flies in some shipments (), bankrupting many Indian mango farmers who depend on EU trade and causing the prices to drop to record lows in India as sellers desperately try to sell them before they go off. With bitter irony, the banned mangoes have had an excellent crop this season, the best harvest for years (and they can't sell it).

Mango enthusiasts in Britain, the largest market for these mangoes (mostly thanks to its large SE Asian community) will go empty handed for 18 months. The ban is to protect some European salad crops from fruit flies. To me this seems a very misguided decision, I'm usually pro-EU but the commission placing a ban on foodstuffs from an entire country seems draconian, and considering they didn't even consult importers, arrogant (even cruel, considering the farmers on the poverty line who may not now be able to make ends meet).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27238239
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandst...-indian-summer
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...k-9309990.html
http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/201...ully-tucks-in/
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/34708592.cms

[hellheaven1987]

B-but it benefits consumers right? I mean it means the price of mango in India would be so low that consumers can buy large amount of mango in dirt price - isn't that what 99% who do not produce mango wants? Super cheap mango??

[GussieFinkNottle]

B-but it benefits consumers right? I mean it means the price of mango in India would be so low that consumers can buy large amount of mango in dirt price - isn't that what 99% who do not produce mango wants? Super cheap mango??

Good in the short term for Indian bargain-hunters. Not so good in the long term for farmers trying to break even or the crop supply in future when fewer people are farming it or it is not a financially feasible proposition.

[hellheaven1987]

Good in the short term for Indian bargain-hunters. Not so good in the long term for farmers trying to break even or the crop supply in future when fewer people are farming it or it is not a financially feasible proposition.

That is ok, because large corporations would take it over. In the end, it just changes the producer from small farmers to large corporations, but the amount of mango produce each year remains the same if not even increase (as corporations generally have higher production efficiency than small farmers, at least in US).

[DarthLazy]

More mangoes for India!

[sabaku_no_gaara]

The ban is to protect some European salad crops from fruit flies

et voila, we should protect our own first

[John ''True Grit'' Wayne]

Australia has a no fruit policy when you fly over to them and you get fined.Insects can damage the Australian local harvests.I think the UK is right to ban these mangos.India has millions of poor people let them eat cheap mango.

Listen the big men at the top who own farms are OK it is the lower caste that suffers.Why don't they kill the parasites on the fruit??

[Roma_Victrix]

That's a shame; I love mangoes! I'm also surprised that there was no parasitic solution to this like John "True Grit" Wayne has suggested. All in all, everyone loses here.

[Condottiere 40K]

Juice them; any flies will be classified as added protein and minerals.

[John ''True Grit'' Wayne]

Could the farmers not afford to spray the fruit with chemicals that kill bacteria and flies.

[Stavroforos]

Aren't we supposed to call them Native American now?

[GussieFinkNottle]

Aren't we supposed to call them Native American now?

Are you serious?
Indian:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Not Indian:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Father Jack]

Are you serious?
Indian:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Not Indian:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Roma_Victrix]

Are you serious?

Welcome to the wonderful world of Stavroforos's brand of sarcasm. Enjoy your stay.

[Denny Crane!]

That is ok, because large corporations would take it over. In the end, it just changes the producer from small farmers to large corporations, but the amount of mango produce each year remains the same if not even increase (as corporations generally have higher production efficiency than small farmers, at least in US).

Ah the myth of large scale monoculture super intensive large corp agriculture gets another convert despite all of the evidence from...drum roll...India.

Are you serious?
Indian:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Not Indian:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Welcome to the wonderful world of Stavroforos's brand of sarcasm. Enjoy your stay.

Ha!

Anyway on topic, my missus would be gutted. Loves the specialist mango imports. Is there any real basis for the ban perchance?

[Col. Tartleton]

You can't bring your horse to Iceland and once you take Icelandic horses off the island they can never return.

True story.

If you can't figure out how that's relevant it's on you not me.

[Condottiere 40K]

Oh, East Indian is East Indian, and West Indian is West Indian, and never the twain shall meet.

[Mayer]

that is a stupid decision, the EU should rather strenghten the bonds with India than restrict trade.

I don't believe that the quality is bad, i have even see fruit flies and other parasites on vegetables from european country of production

[Aludus]

Good. We can't have Indian parasites coming over here, taking good European parasites' jobs. In all seriousness, the problems these farmers may experience are none of the EU's business. As one of the world's largest economies, India should be supporting its lower classes in times of crisis. If it can't do that, then I shan't be considering its government to be civilised or humane.

[Col. Tartleton]

Ultimately the horses have no one to blame but themselves for not having immune systems.