India: High prices may rob mangoes of their sweetness this season

The king of all fruits — mango is everyone’s delight. Savouring this tropical fruit during the summer is an unadulterated joy. But with low production and the searing heat this year, you may not get to gobble up the yellow pulpy fruit this season. Moreover mangoes, which are brought to the city from Hyderabad and Nagpur, are getting perished during transportation.

With three varieties — Dashehari, Safeda and Tota Pari — having hit the market, the prices of the fruit will remain high this summer. While the supply of Safeda is in abundance, the yield of Dashehari will take a hit once it comes to the market. Priced between Rs 40 and Rs 50 per kg in retail and between Rs 25 and Rs 35 in wholesale, the production of Safeda has been good this year.

“We normally receive six to seven vehicles loaded with 450 to 500 boxes of the fruit daily. Since the beginning of this week when the temperature began to surge, cartons at the bottom of trolleys are often found perished. Today too, an entire row of cartons was found rotten,” said Kishori Lal, supervisor of fruit mandi in Sector 26.

“This year, the yield of Safeda is the maximum amongst all the varieties. The yield of Dashehari variety, immensely popular for its delicate taste, is the lowest and its prices will be high once it hits the market during monsoons,” said J S Mavi, secretary, Sector-26 market committee.

But there is a silver lining. “If the weather improves and the temperatures dip in the coming days, the prices of Safeda may plummet in the coming days,” he adds.

“Last year, the prices were 15 per cent less. As the summer progressed, there was a further dip in the prices. This year, the prices are expected to remain relatively high,” says Raju, a fruit vendor.

The Sandoori variety, known for its taste and colour, has already surpassed Safeda in terms of price. Priced at Rs 60, the Sandoori variety has seen 40 per cent increase in its price as compared to the last year.

Even the low-priced Tota Pari will cost Rs 20 per kilogram, a surge of 100 per cent as compared to the last year. The price of Alphanso mango brought to the city from Ratnagiri is beyond the reach of the common man. It’s currently priced at Rs 450 a dozen.

“The prices of pulses and sugar have already upset my monthly budget. Now, seasonal fruits have also become unaffordable,” said Mahesh Kumar, a resident of Sector 47.


Source: expressindia.com


Publication date: 5/6/2009