Low yield, spiralling prices deny 'kingly' fruit pleasures

Bangalore, June 11 (UNI) 'The King of Fruits' has denied its connoisseurs and commoners alike the pleasure of savouring its mouth-watering taste, aroma and nutritional qualities, this summer.

Reduced yield and spiralling prices have resulted in mangoes, known as the tastiest fruit on earth, going out of reach of the common people.

The yield in Karnataka, the fourth largest producer of mangoes in the country, has dwindled to nearly half, owing to unseasonal rains during the flowering season in January. Unseasonal rains can harm the yield to a large extent as it can destroy the flowers.

Mango is grown in 1.2 lakh hectares in the State, with an annual production of seven to ten lakh metric tonnes. The cultivable area under mango in the country is 14 lakh hectares, producing 115 lakh metric tonnes a year. Andhra Pradesh is the highest producer with 22.7 lakh mt, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In Karnataka, apart from Kolar district, the largest producer of mangoes, the other major mango growing districts are Bangalore Urban and Rural, Tumkur, Hassan, Mandya and Mysore.

The price of mango is hovering around 30 to 40 per cent higher compared to last year when there was a bounty of mangoes following a bumper crop. This year, the arrivals in the wholesale market have remained low and it is yet to pick up, even though the supply is supposed to hit the peak during June.

MORE UNI RS GD SHB RAI1017