Indian mangoes still awaiting entry into US

WASHINGTON: Nearly a year after US President George W Bush committed to allowing imports of Indian mangoes, New Delhi is still discussing trade in the king of fruits with Washington.

The issues of trade barriers faced by Indian agricultural exports came up during talks, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told reporters here.

"The barrier aspect comes two ways in our trade forum and in our bilateral talks with the trade forum we raised this. Mangoes for instance we discussed. We hope to have this solved soon but we are still trying," said Menon, who led the Indian delegation to a meeting of US-India High Technology Cooperation Group.

During his visit to India last year, President Bush had said that "the USA is looking forward to eating Indian mangoes" after agreeing to open up the US market to mangoes from the subcontinent nation.

The mango trade was part of a workplan to promote bilateral trade in agriculture, but the modalities are yet to be worked out.