Across April this year, Air India transported nearly 1,000 tonnes of fresh Indian mangoes to countries in Europe, North America and the Middle East.
It was part of a wider trend in recent times for the Indian national flag-carrier to fly greater volumes of perishables.
“Perishable movement has seen a significant increase this past year – mangoes being one of the more conspicuous examples,” Ramesh Mamidala, head of cargo at Air India, noted.
The carrier is flying mangoes to destinations as varied and as geographically distant as Toronto, San Francisco, Frankfurt, Tokyo and Sydney – indeed to no less than 43 destinations in 31 countries across five continents on Air India’s extensive route network.
Cool chain
“We continue to make investments in enhancing our cold-chain infrastructure, streamlining processes at key airports and strengthening our partnerships with exporters to make Air India the preferred choice for fresh cargo,” Mamidala said.
Mangoes are kept in temperature-controlled facilities certified by India’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and, when they reach the airport of departure, thermal blankets and cool dollies ensure the fruit stays cool as it moves across the tarmac and into the belly of an aircraft.
“Our teams handle mango shipments with the same precision and care you’d reserve for delicate glassware,” Mamidala stated.
“For us, this mango season is about more than simply transporting fruit. It’s about sharing the story of India’s farm-to-globe journey, driven by Air India’s vast network, consistency, and cutting-edge cargo capabilities,” he concluded.