ICAR and APEDA Sea Protocol Cuts Mango Export Cost- Takes Indian Mangoes to Singapore by Ship

24 June 2026, New Delhi/Lucknow

In a major breakthrough for India’s fresh fruit export sector, Indian mangoes have successfully reached Singapore through sea shipment, marking a significant milestone in expanding affordable and large-scale mango exports to international markets.

Indian mangoes are highly valued in Singapore for their superior taste, flavour, and quality, with varieties such as Banganappalli and Kesar enjoying strong consumer demand. To make exports more economical and competitive, the ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow, in collaboration with APEDA, developed a scientific sea shipment protocol for mango export.

Under this initiative, a consignment of 4.3 tonnes of Banganappalli mangoes from Andhra Pradesh was exported to Singapore through a reefer container. The sea route offers a substantial reduction in logistics costs, estimated at ₹13–20 per kg, compared to ₹150–250 per kg through air shipment, making exports more viable for producers and exporters while ensuring affordable prices for overseas consumers.

The protocol developed by ICAR-CISH integrates an end-to-end quality assurance system covering residue-free production, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), scientific harvesting, grading, packing, and post-harvest management. The exported fruits underwent Hot Water Treatment (HWT) and CISH-Met Wash, an ICAR-CISH-developed technology that enhances shelf life, minimizes disease incidence, and maintains fruit quality during long-distance transportation.

The orchards were scientifically monitored by ICAR-CISH experts from fruit set to harvest using residue-safe production practices and ICAR-CISH-developed biocontrol technology FUSICONT. Fruits were tested for quality and Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) before processing at an APEDA-approved packhouse.

ICAR-CISH has successfully extended mango shelf life to up to 30 days under sea shipment conditions. The Singapore consignment completed its journey in 16 days, and the fruits arrived in excellent condition with 20.1°Brix TSS, nil disease incidence, and quality comparable to air-shipped mangoes.
The success of this shipment is expected to facilitate expansion of Indian mango exports to Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and other markets, where current imports are estimated at US$ 4–5 million, while also creating opportunities in larger markets such as the UAE, valued at US$ 20–25 million.

The development of cost-effective sea shipment protocols is expected to strengthen India’s mango export ecosystem, enhance farmers’ incomes, improve export competitiveness, and promote sustainable growth of the horticulture sector.

This successful consignment marks an important step towards expanding India’s fresh mango exports through affordable and sustainable logistics solutions, benefiting farmers, exporters, and consumers worldwide.