The third delivery of mangos arrived in Luxembourg airport on a Friday and a sample of mangos was checked by customs officers. The sample check revealed one mango to be over-ripe and the full delivery of around 30 tonnes of mangos (30 000 fruits), which was a delivery for three separate charities who sell them not-for-profit, was confiscated and then destroyed. The EU “Council Directive 2000/29/EC of 8 May 2000 on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community” is the reason for this measure.
The costs of destroying the mangos and the loss of the mangos must be carried by the importer. Westkam has received a number of kind donations to help cover the cost of the third delivery of mangos and these donations, together with 30% of other donations received this year will be paid to the importer out of solidarity.
This is the first time we have come up against this problem and in order to avoid it in the future there are a number of measures Westkam can take. We could organise two deliveries which are at the beginning of the harvesting season, and would avoid importing over-ripe mangos. Or we could continue the three deliveries but begin them a little earlier in the harvesting season. Westkam members will discuss options at the next general meeting and will vote on the two options at the beginning of 2016.