10 tonnes of chemically ripened mangoes seized in Goa

Nearly 10 tonnes of artificially ripened mangoes were seized in Goa during a raid on Wednesday, an official said. The mangoes were later destroyed.

The mangoes, mainly of Ratnagiri Alphonso, Pairi and Mancurado varieties, had been artificially ripened using a chemical called Ethrel and were stored in a godown at Sirsaim village, located 25 km north of Panaji.

Food and drugs administration officials destroyed the mangoes, he said.

"The lot was seized from a vendor and would have been transported to the market for sale in a few days. About 10 tonnes of mangoes of several varieties were destroyed," food safety officer Rajiv Korde said.

Mangoes are the staple fruit with the advent of summer along the Konkan region, which includes Goa.