Artificial ripening: 1.5 tonnes of Alphonso mangoes seized in Goa

Panaji, May 11 (IANS) Goa authorities on Saturday seized over 1.5 tonnes of Alphonso mangoes that were being chemically ripened in violation of food laws.

The raid, in which 80,000 mangoes of the prime Alphonso variety were seized and destroyed, comes more than a week after the European Union banned import of the same variety of the fruit, commonly referred to as the "King of Mangoes" for its taste and texture.

Salim Veljee, director of the state government’s Food and Drug Authority (FDA), said the raw mangoes were seized in a raid at a store in Margao, 35 km from Panaji.

He said the FDA filed charges against store owner Nazir Buthulla for using Calcium Carbide powder to ripen the fruit.

Like in other parts of the country, the Alphonso, locally known as Hapus, commands a princely price compared to most other varieties.