Let the King of fruits pamper you

Let the King of fruits pamper you
Deccan Herald

The king of fruits is here to delight us this summer. Mango varieties such as Alfonso, Badami, Raspuri, Sindoora and Baiganpalli are already in market in the City and are expected to hold court for the next few weeks.....

The king of fruits is here to delight us this summer. Mango varieties such as Alfonso, Badami, Raspuri, Sindoora and Baiganpalli are already in market in the City and are expected to hold court for the next few weeks.

According to Ayaz Pasha, President of the Bangalore Fruit Commission Agents’ Association, around 10 to 15 tonnes of mangoes are being unloaded each day at Singanena Agrahara on Hosur Road from the neighbouring Mysore district. “This year, the prices are not likely to go up further. It may even go down as the quality of the fruit this year is not very good due to the rains,” he informed.

According to G K Vasanth Kumar, Director of the Horticulture Department, due to prolonged rains the quantity of mangoes is also lesser than the previous year. “This will be an ‘off year’ for mangoes,” he said.

Stating that there was only 40 per cent crop this year because of prolonged rains during the flowering season and absence of rains after the flowering season, Pasha said, “We expected a double crop after the rains. But the temperatures went up later and there has been no rain to cool it down.”

“The State is famous for a variety of mangoes. But, the local market is yet to pick up. We expect the local sales will pick up after a couple of showers because we have seen people going on a mango-buying spree only after it rains,” Pasha said, and added that mangoes are presently being sent to Maharashtra and Gujarat. Varieties such as Mallika, Malgoba, Kesar, Shakkar Gudli and Totapuri are expected to arrive in May from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

The annual Mango Mela at Lalbagh Botanical Gardens will be held in the second week of May.

MANGO PRICES

Fruits Wholesale price Retail price Atretail chains

Alfonso Badami : Rs 20 to 25 per kilo Rs 35 to 40 Rs 100-120

Raspuri : Rs 10 to 15 per kilo Rs 20-25 NA

Sindoora (Lalbagh) : Rs 9 to 12 per kilo Rs 15 to 20 Rs 30

Baiganpalli : Rs 15 to 20 Rs 25 to 30 Rs 50