Production falls, prices increase: King of fruits brings tears to farmers, consumers

Amaravati/Hyderabad: Sweet mango has turned sour for fruit lovers.

Prices have gone through the roof after unseasonal rains affected production.

Consumers are forced to buy mangoes for high prices. A box containing four to five dozen mangoes is sold at Rs 2,000-Rs 5,000 depending on the size and taste of the mango.

For mango lovers, this summer is going to be sour as the king of fruits is likely to be costlier by nearly 30-50 per cent due to lower production.

Some of the major mango-producing states including Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Karnataka, are reporting lower yields due to unfavourable weather conditions this year.

Organic mangoes take the lead

While many are now using carbide and Ethylene packets to ripen the fruit, many are opting for organic ways. However, organic varieties are costlier than regular mangoes available in the local market.

Banganipalli is sold for Rs 83 per kg (2-3 mangoes), Hapus/Alphonso mangoes cost Rs 1198 per dozen, and Pedda Rasalu costs Rs 1188 per dozen.

Amba Ajji Fresh Farm, which also provides online delivery in Hyderabad, provides 100% Carbide free and natural taste from the farm. At their farm, a box (a dozen) of Hapus/Alphonso mangoes cost Rs 1,650, Kesar mango costs Rs 150 per kg, and Panchadara costs Rs 160 per kg (min 3 kgs).

Beyniaz Edulji who owns a farm in Mulugu, sells 3-4 varieties of organic mangoes. She sells Alphonso for Rs 300 per kg, and other varieties for Rs 200 per kg. "I have been selling these varieties at the same price for the last five years. I don't increase the rate. Being a hobby, I wanted to grow chemical-free fruits. Those who are interested buy these fruits," said Beyniaz Edulji

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh, which has also emerged as one of the largest producers of mangoes in India, exports a significant portion of the produce. The situation changed after 2020 when the mango crop failed due to unfavourable weather conditions and pests.

P Balaji Kumar, Horticulture Officer NTR district, said this year, the quality of the fruit has been affected by unseasonal rains in March-April. "The production of fruits has dropped by 10-15%. Adding to this, the cloudy/ moist climate has resulted in black spots for mangoes, which is a disease spoiling the fruit," he said.

Earlier a tonne of mango cost Rs 40,000. Now it is costing Rs 25,000-30,000. Wastage of fruit has gone up to 30% during the ripening stage.

Banginapalli, Chinna Rasalu, Pedda Rasalu, Totapuri, Neelam, and Suvarnarekha varieties are some of the varieties that farmers prefer. Banginapalli, Rasalu, and Suvarnarekha are in demand. Suvranarekha is an export-quality mango as it has huge demand abroad.

Costs vary in Rythu bazaar & local markets

In Andhra Pradesh, the price of mangoes varies from Rythu Bazaar and the local market.

In Rythu Bazaar, Banganapalli costs Rs 50 (2-3) per kg, Rasalu costs Rs 60, and Survarnareka costs Rs 50. The prices are quite less compared to the outside market due to the quality of the fruit and its size.

In the local market, Banganapalli costs Rs 89-100 per kg, while Alphonso costs Rs 618 per dozen, and Hapur Aam costs Rs 1284 per dozen.

Chinna Rasalu and Pedda Rasalu fruits sell at Rs 600-700 per dozen.

Premature fall of the fruit

According to the farmers, the premature fall of the fruit has affected cost also. While the farmers' profits decrease, the middlemen and retailers sell them at a premium.

According to the farmers in the Manyam district, they were expecting 8-10 tonnes of yield per hectare. However, the yield has dropped 20 percent. "Despite all measures taken to protect the fruit against rains, there has been at least 30% damage to the fruit. We are selling fruit for Rs 20,000-25,000 per tonne. If it is low-quality mango, we sell it at Rs 10,000 per tonne. If the production is excellent, the rate goes up to Rs 1 lakh per tonne in a few districts. However, in the local markets, the price goes high due to its demand," said a farmer from Agiripalli, Vijayawada.

Mango farming in AP

Mango is grown in an area of over 3.75 lakh hectares in the state, with an estimated production of around 45 to 50 lakh tonnes. Nearly 60 % of the total mango area in AP is under cultivation of the Banginapalli variety. Nearly 10% of mango products from AP are exported to other countries.

Delivery app: Rs 25 crore mango orders in April

Zepto, a popular grocery delivery app, reported that Indians ordered mangoes worth Rs 25 crore in April alone, with daily orders reaching Rs 60 lakh.

The mango mania is expected to continue throughout May. The demand for raw mangoes has also seen a rise, with customers ordering raw mangoes worth Rs 25 lakhs.

They source mangoes from over 1,000 skilled farmers across India. Top sources include Ratnagiri and Devgad for Alphonso, Jalna & Junagarh for Kesar, Anantapur, Chittor, and Kolhapur for Badami, Pallakad for Lalbagh, and Krishnagiri, Ramnagar, and more for Totapuri.

Alphonso mangoes from Ratnagiri topped the sales, capturing 30% of the total mango sales.

Banganipalli from Andhra Pradesh followed closely with a 25% share.