In a major breakthrough for India's fresh mango export sector, 12.5 tonnes of premium Dashehari and Langra mangoes have been successfully exported from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, through a 40-foot reefer container by sea using the sea route export protocol jointly developed by ICAR–Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (ICAR-CISH), Lucknow, and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). The consignment was exported by Shehnaz Export, Amroha, in association with Attashi Global, to Lulu Group, UAE, one of the leading retail chains in the Gulf region, with technical guidance from ICAR-CISH and support from APEDA.

The mangoes were harvested on 22^nd June, 2026 and handled in accordance with the recommended scientific post-harvest management practices. The fruits were treated with METWASH developed by ICAR-CISH for extension of shelf life, scientifically graded, packed at the Amroha Pack House, loaded into a 40-foot reefer container, and transported to Dubai by sea under a continuous cold chain.

Owing to Western Disturbance-related delays, the consignment reached the destination market on 17^th July 2026, completing a 25-day harvest-to-market transit period. Despite the extended transit time, nearly 90% of the mangoes were found to be in good marketable condition upon arrival, demonstrating the effectiveness of the technology.

The successful validation of the sea-route protocol thus provides a sustainable pathway for increasing farmers' income through cost-effective exports. Since sea freight is substantially more economical than air freight, exporters were able to offer higher procurement prices to farmers. As a result, mango growers realized an additional income of approximately ₹15–20 per kg over conventional export channels, significantly enhancing farm profitability while maintaining the competitiveness of Indian mangoes in international markets.

This is the first successful commercial sea shipment of Dashehari and Langra mangoes from Uttar Pradesh to Dubai under such an extended 25-day harvest-to-market transit period, demonstrating that premium Indian mangoes can now be exported economically through sea freight without compromising quality. The achievement is expected to encourage exporters to increasingly adopt sea freight, thereby expanding India's fresh mango exports to the Gulf region and other international markets.

The technology is expected to accelerate the commercialization of sea-route exports of mangoes from Uttar Pradesh and other mango-producing states, opening new opportunities in the Gulf and other international markets while enhancing export earnings, reducing logistics costs, and improving the livelihoods of mango growers of Uttar Pradesh.

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