Andhra Pradesh

Mango irradiation norms to be set

Sangareddy: The Fruit Research Station (FRS) of the Acharya N.G.Ranga Agricultural University here will release the parameters for irradiation of prominent varieties of mango grown in the State this year itself.

The project for testing the amount of radiation required, removing microbes on export varieties like Benishan, Dussehri and Suvarnarekha began two years ago with the collaboration of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).

Three scientists, including a nutrition expert from ANGRAU and FRS, Bhagavan, Anurag Chaturvedi and Dilip Basu, were on the job trying to apply stringent USAD (United States Agricultural Department)’s quarantine laws in standardising the irradiation norms for mangoes to be exported from the State. Mango growers have to meet these norms if they want to export their produce to any Northern American or European countries.

Explaining the need for irradiation, Principal Scientist and head of FRS, G.Satyanarayana Reddy, told The Hindu that farmers from the State had been making trips to Lasalgaon in Maharastra for irradiation of mangoes.

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