Europe and India Tango over Mango

From VOA Learning English this is As It Is! I'm Anna Matteo in Washington.

India and the European Union are involved in a heated trade fight over mangoes. The EU banned them. But most people in India are not complaining. The ban has led to a flood of mangoes in local Indian markets and a sharp drop in prices.

Prices for one kind, the Alphonso mango, have crashed, or fallen fast and far. This type of mango is usually so costly that it is out of reach for middle-class households.

Purnima Dhir in New Delhi had stocked up on vegetables and fruits during the weekend. But after reading reports that prices of the prized Alphonso mango had crashed, she rushed back to a supermarket to buy more or as she puts it, to get her fill.

"I am absolutely delighted. We can have our fill of it, I can't believe it."

Ms. Dhir can thank a tiny fruit fly. The European Union imposed an 18-month ban on Indian mangoes along with a few other vegetables after finding fruit flies in some of the produce.

When the ban went into effect on May 1st, prices of the Alphonso mango fell to their lowest level in nearly 20 years. They are selling at about $ 2.50 to $ 4 per kilogram, which is half their usual price.

The juicy, sweet mango is a popular treat during the scorching summer heat on the Indian plains. There are several kinds of mangoes.

But the Alphonso mango is known as "The King of Mangoes." It is popular from Japan to Europe. As it usually happens, its popularity raised the price and forced most Indians to look for more affordable varieties.

While shoppers in India are enjoying the surplus of Alphonso mangos, exporters having a difference experience. The ban is hitting them very hard and directly affecting their profits.

Sanjay Pansare is a director at the Agriculture Produce Market Committee in Mumbai, the center of the mango trade. And he is concerned that the ban could affect the mango market for a long time.

"We are not worried about the prices, what we are worried is we are going to lose the European market. That is the main problem."

Exporters are already counting their losses. Bharat Pawar is the manager of Shree Ganesh Fruit Stall in Mumbai. He says at least half his export orders have been cancelled. He is now selling in the local market.

Officials in New Delhi have asked the European Union to reconsider the ban. They have even threatened to take the issue to the World Trade Organization.

This is not the first time that the mango has been involved in high-level diplomacy. Indian officials often give the prized fruit to foreign leaders.

And in 2006 India and the U.S. struck what is now known as the "mangos for bikes deal." New Delhi reportedly permitted Harley Davidson motorcycle imports in exchange for lifting an 18-year ban on mango imports by the United States.

I'm Anna Matteo.

What food ban would most affect you? And do you have a favorite mango recipe. Tell us in the comment section! Or just practice with the vocabulary you learned in the article – words like "ban" and "surplus."

词汇解析

costly

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

adj.昂贵的;代价高的

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

The costly post was postponed because of the frost.

那件昂贵的邮件由于霜的缘故而延搁。

absolutely

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

adv.完全地;绝对地;[语]独立地

int.(表示赞同)完全正确，一点没错

参考例句

用作副词 (adv.)

I trust his discretion absolutely.

我完全相信他的判断。

Most researchers believe that, in theory, mobile phones are absolutely safe.

多数研究者认为,从理论上讲,移动电话是绝对安全的。

finding

难度：5星基本词汇，属常用1000词

英汉解释

n.调查(或研究)的结果;[律] 裁决

find的现在分词.

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

The finding is based on such an inquiry.

基于如上调查所得出的发现

export

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.输出;出口;输出品;输出存储器的信息

v.输出;出口;带走，运走;从存储器输出信息

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

Consultancy, insurance and tourism are also parts of the export trade.

咨询,保险及旅游也是出口贸易的一部分。

用作动词 (v.)

The blood can also export waste products from the tissues.

血液还能从身体组织里输出废物。

exchange

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

v.交换;兑换

n.交换;交易所;兑换;交战

参考例句

用作动词 (v.)

We exchanged our opinions about the event at the meeting.

在会上，我们就此事交换了意见。

用作名词 (n.)

Gold shares jumped at the Stock Exchange yesterday.

证券交易所黄金股票昨天又大幅度上涨了。

comment

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.注释;评论;闲话

v.评论;注释

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

The comment is recorded in the event log.

此注释将记录在事件日志中。

用作动词 (v.)

He commented that it was an excellent film.

他评论这电影很精彩

vocabulary

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

n.词汇;词汇量

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

That if your vocabulary is limited your chances of success are limited.

如果你的词汇量不大，你成功的机会也就不多。

She has a large English vocabulary at command.

她能灵活运用掌握的大量英语辞汇。