USAID Helps Indian Mango Farmers Access New Markets

May 03, 2006

Photo Credit: Lawrence Paulson, USAID/India

Pune – Food Bazaar, a leading Retail chain, mango growers from Maharashtra and the Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board (MSAMB) have signed an agreement that allows Food Bazaar to purchase mangoes directly from the state's mango farmers. At the inaugural ceremony of the second mango festival in Pune, Food Bazaar's president Mr. Damodar Mall issued a payment for a total of Rs. 1,95,000 to farmers for the supply of the mangoes. The deal is a product of the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) Partnership for Food Industry Development, which helps India mango farmers improve product quality and direct access to larger markets.

"The Partnership for Food Industry Development has demonstrated that strengthening market linkages among mango producers and buyers and raising product quality to meet consumer standards in local and global markets can result in higher profits for both producers and buyers," said USAID Mission Director George Deikun.

Today's deal streamlines the market chain by lowering transaction costs through direct purchase of mangoes from farmers. It enables farmers to get better returns on their produce and allows consumers to purchase high-quality mangos at reasonable prices.

India is the world's largest producer of mangos, but it accounts for less than one percent of the global mango trade. USAID's Partnership for Food Industry Development works with Michigan State University and Indian counterparts to help Indian farmers adopt Good Agricultural Practices to tap domestic and international markets and improve food safety, quality standards and also support food processing. Facilitating a mix of private-public partnerships, the program gives India access to U.S. expertise and technology that allow it to access new markets and increase mango sales.

International demand for mangoes is growing and India's domestic market is experiencing an increased demand for processed goods. Capitalizing on these trends is an important step to help India's agriculture sector, which employs more than two-thirds of the country's workforce, develop its potential.

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