Nepal-India relations appear to be under strain. In the last faw weeks, the two countries have been involved in making statements related to the border disputes. At the same time, high-profile political leaders from Nepal have visited India and met senior officials in New Delhi. Now, in a big move, Nepal has restricted the imports of mangoes from India. Authorities in Nepal have alleged that the king fruit from India contains excessive pesticides, and there is a dearth of quarantine facilities at the border. Nepal becomes the second country, after Japan, to ban several Indian fruits. According to reports, Nepal’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development put the ban in April and has been in place since. The restrictions are set for Indian mango producers. India imports several varieties of mangoes, including Alphonso, Dasheri, Chausa, Kesar, Langra and Banganapalli.
Nepali media have reported that the ban has affected the local markets across the country. Reports claim that the decision was taken without any preparation or any strategy. The traders are now worrying that the local produce will not be enough to meet the demand that rises during the summer.
According to a report quoting Bhuvaneshwar Purbe, general secretary of the Fruit and Vegetable Traders’ Association in Janakpurdham, the local production alone may not be sufficient to meet the overall demand for mangoes in the country.
“Demand for mangoes is exceptionally high in summer, and the halt in Indian imports could create shortages in the market,” he said.
Traders have now urged the PM Balen Shah to allow Indian mangoes after proper testing and increase the quarantine testing facilities at the border.
However, the Nepali government has framed the restrictions as an opportunity to promote the sale and consumption of the local produce, saying that the restrictions have created greater opportunities for locally produced, “healthier fruit”.
“The federal government’s decision will provide additional encouragement to local production, while citizens will have access to healthier and safer produce,” authorities told Neplai media.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
