Minister slams mango growers, exporters

Statesman News Service

MALDA, April 18: State parliamentary affairs and environment minister Mr Sailen Sarkar today criticised the Malda's mango growers and exporters for their "traditional business mentalities". Addressing a mango growers' meeting here today, Mr Sarkar, said: "Mango growers should adopt the modern methods of production to stay in the market in this era of competition. Exporters of mango and litchi should also raise their standards." He added that exporters export mangoes via Mahadipur land customs station in English Bazaar adopting illegal ways. "A group of exporters, on paper, send 10 MT mango on one truck but the truck actually carry 15 to 16 MT mango (5 to 6 MT overloaded item is being exported without papers). As a result, the Malda exporters are facing problem to collect price of mango, exported illegally, from Bangladeshi importers", the minister, said. He expressed unhappiness over the apparent reluctance of the Malda Merchants' Chamber of Commerce to develop mango industry in the district and inspire the exporters to export mangoes to the European countries. "Please get rid of the habit of exporting mangoes to Bangladesh via Mahadipur land customs station ignoring the system of post harvest management and packing for mango and litchi", the minister told the exporters.