New Delhi, Jan 7 (TIWN) For the first time, Banarasi mangoes are being exported to London, Dubai and other parts of the world under Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) supervision, according to the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

A consignment of 1.2 and 3 metric tonnes of mangoes were dispatched from Varanasi for London and Dubai respectively. Moreover, 520 metric tonnes of regional rice, 3 metric tonnes of fresh vegetables and 80 MT of regional rice were exported to Qatar, London and Australia respectively during the Covid pandemic in 2020, after APEDA’s intervention.  The export of the first trial shipment of 14 MT green chilly was facilitated by APEDA from Varanasi to Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port in December 2019.  With its assistance, Uttar Pradesh’s Purvanchal region emerged as a new hub for India’s agricultural products exports through development of the Varanasi Agri-Export Hub. In the last six months, about 20,000 MT of agri-produce was exported from Purvanchal region, the ministry said.