19 tonnes of mangoes seized in raids, traders counselled on safe ripening practices

Around 19 tonnes of mangoes were seized from nine locations during raids conducted by the Hyderabad Task Force (H-FAST) on Friday night (April 3) in areas including Asif Nagar and Tappachabutra.

Officials said the seized stock was handed over to Food Safety Officers, who collected samples for analysis. The raids revealed violations related to the use of chemical agents for artificial ripening.

Following the enforcement action, traders and those involved were called to the H-FAST office on Saturday (April 4) and briefed on the violations identified during the raids.

An awareness meeting on food safety standards and ethical ripening of mangoes was conducted, during which officials explained the permitted use of ethylene-based ripening agents and outlined the dos and don’ts to ensure compliance with regulations.

The session was led by DCP task force Vaibhav Raghunath Gaikwad and attended by officials from the Task Force and GHMC, along with around 30 mango godown owners and fruit vendors.

Authorities warned that misuse of chemical agents poses a risk to public health and stated that strict legal action would be taken against violators. Officials added that enforcement drives and awareness programmes would continue across the city.