Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department has undertaken any assessment into the European Commission's ban on the import of Indian mangoes and the economic impact on UK businesses.

Protecting the UK's plants from incursions of pests and diseases is a high priority for the Government. There would be a major long term impact and costs from introducing more plant pests and diseases into the country. The pests intercepted on imports from India could cause significant damage to UK glasshouse crops worth £321 million a year. Such pests were found in 207 consignments of fruits and vegetables from India imported into the EU in 2013, of which 179 were intercepted by the UK.

While a detailed assessment of the economic impact on UK businesses of the ban on the import of Indian mangoes has not been undertaken, the Government recognises the implications this will have and officials have met with the National Asian Business Association to discuss the issue.

We very much hope that imports of this highly-valued product will be able to resume as quickly as possible and will work with the European Commission and other Member States to facilitate this, subject to India's exporters and government showing that the necessary standards are being achieved.