NAIROBI, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's agricultural regulator on Tuesday announced new measures to tighten controls on the export of mangoes in a bid to curb illegal shipments.
The regulations, which include mandatory physical inspection of shipments, are intended to prevent exporters from mixing mangoes with other fruits, a practice that emerged following the suspension of avocado exports on Oct. 31, the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), a government corporation established to develop, regulate and promote scheduled crops, said in a statement published by local media on Tuesday.
"All mango exporters, with effect from Nov. 13, are required to apply for physical inspection of their consignments at their packing houses," AFA Director-General Willis Audi said.
Audi added that the AFA took the step after noticing that some exporters were mixing shipments of mangoes and avocados in order to circumvent a temporary ban on the export of the latter to stop the shipment of unripe fruits.
Mangoes are Kenya's second most important fruit export after avocados. Kenya exports fresh and processed mangoes mainly to the Middle East, China and European Union countries such as the Netherlands and Britain. ■