The United States Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) has approved the Gujarat Agro Radiation Processing Facility (GARPF), which was established near Ahmedabad by Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation Ltd (GAIC). This will allow horticulture crops to be radiated and encourage exports.
USDA-APHIS team conducted an audit of GARPF, which was facilitated by the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO), after which the USDA-APHIS granted approval to the plant in Bavla, Ahmedabad, on July 2, 2022. The facility has a total area of 6,750 square metres and a capacity of 6 MT/Hr for irradiating mangoes.
The unit was the first in Gujarat to receive USDA-APHIS approval for mango and pomegranate exports. Mangoes must be irradiated before being exported to the United States, according to regulations. The irradiation process is overseen by quarantine inspectors from the United States. "Mangoes will be exported directly from Gujarat following this approval," according to a statement.
In 2014, GAIC established a 1,000-kilocurie (kCi) multipurpose split type, palletized radiation processing facility for agricultural and processed food products at Bavla under the Rashtriya Krushi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) at a cost of approximately 20 crores.
The facility, which was built with the guidance and technical assistance of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and the Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT), is the only one in India that can irradiate products such as onion, potato, cereals, pulses, Psyllium husk, pet food, meat, spices, dehydrated onions/dry vegetables, meat products including poultry, eggs, and medical products at low, medium, and high doses.
According to DK Parekh, Managing Director of GAIC, the government of India has designated Kutch as a mango cluster under the Cluster Development Scheme. This facility will go a long way toward supporting Gujarat's mango exports.
In 2019-20, Maharashtra exported approximately 980 tonnes of irradiated mangoes to the United States, with estimates indicating that 50-60% of mangoes came from Gujarat due to the lack of a USDA-APHIS approved irradiation plant in the state. The new facility, which is closer to the upcoming Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), will facilitate the transport of fruits to the hinterland and direct exports from Gujarat.
Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation Ltd owns three key infrastructure facilities (required for mango export) in one district: Integrated Pack House, Gamma Irradiation Facility, and Perishable Air Cargo Complex. Following USDA-APHIS approval, the irradiation facility will be able to leverage the state's existing infrastructure to achieve a synergy between mango quality and reduction in wastages and cost of transportation.
