GAP certification will help mango growers, says CISH
LUCKNOW : ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH) has developed Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) guidelines for mango growers and also proposes to help certification of Malihabad orchards.
“The GAP certification is prompted by the exporters, but mango consumers and retailers will also have interest in this issue ultimately benefiting producers. Moreover, in international trade, GAP certification and traceability requirements are of utmost important,” said Shailendra Rajan, director, CISH.
He said, “The certification programme is also for the benefit of the consumer groups, but require clear understanding by other stakeholders as far as knowledge and commitments are concerned.”
Rajan said that GAP certification would benefit the farmers directly with the increase in price and the demand. “Certified mangoes are in more demand because of being free from carbide and unwarranted chemicals. The farmers can brand the mangoes for which Farmers Mango Producer Company can help in big way during implementation. Definitely, the demand and increase in fruit price will compensate the cost for practising the GAP requirements,” he said.
“Many a times, importer is ready to import, but we are not able to supply quality mangoes as per the requirement of the importing country. Therefore, GAP certification will not only help in marketing, but also encourage farmers in producing carbide and insecticide free mangoes as the mangoes with pesticides residue cannot fulfil the GAP requirements,” he said.
The certification may not only help in quality and other issues, but it also improve the yield of mango trees.
“Satisfactory implementation of this programme may take few years, but in near future for the sustainability of the mango industry in UP and particularly, in Malihabad, this seems to be necessity,” CISH director said.