BY MOHAMMAD SHOEB
DOHA: A temporary ban on the import of the popular Indian Alphonso mango by the European Union (EU) has made the fruit much cheaper in Qatar.
The price of Alphonso mangoes has declined to QR15 per kg from QR20 just a week ago. Enquiries with some leading hypermarkets, which are selling the fruit, have shown that the prices of the mangoes are expected to decline further to QR8 in the coming few days.
The EU has banned the import of the fruit and four vegetables from India effective from May 1, citing hygiene related issues.
So far Qatari authorities have not put any ban on the import of Alphonso mango from India as it has not been found violating any quality standards.
Quoting a tweet by the Municipality and Urban Planning, local Arabic daily Al Sharq yesterday reported that the concerned authorities, including those under the Ministry of Environment and Supreme Council of Health do not allow any consignments of food items, including agriculture products, to enter the country without checking quality standards with regard to food safety on health and environment.
The Peninsula
