Mangoes arrive early, but prices bite

Bengaluru

With the summer heat setting in strongly, mangoes have made an early appearance in city markets. Mandis have sprung up across Bengaluru, and fruit sellers are prominently stocking the king of fruits. The fresh arrivals are being sold at steep prices, with varieties of Alphonso priced at up to ?350 per kg and Himayath selling for around ?300 per kg. Vinay, a fruit seller in RT Nagar, said most of the produce is currently arriving from outside Karnataka, mainly from Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

“The stock coming in now isn’t that great, but it will improve from next week onwards,” he said, adding that the season has arrived early this year due to faster ripening of the fruits. Professor Thimarayappa, a horticulture expert at the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, said the early arrival was unusual. “Yes, mangoes have come early, but I am not sure how they have ripened so quickly. They usually begin arriving between April and June,” he said.

He added that climatic conditions would significantly affect mango groves, noting that lower rainfall this year has reduced damage and improved yield. “We have not received intermittent rainfall this year. Heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms often leads to fruit drop, but that problem has not occurred now, which benefits farmers,” he explained. Sellers at the mango market set up on Jayamahal Road displayed an abundant spread of fruit.

Almost every variety was available – Banganapalli, Raspuri, Malgoba, Gulab Khas and multiple types of Alphonso, among others. Customers thronged the stalls, often parking their vehicles nearby, sampling different varieties and bargaining with vendors. Sellers enthusiastically promoted their produce, offering slices and encouraging buyers to purchase more. “We set up our stall in February itself, including during Eid. Most of our stock is coming from Andhra, where the season has arrived early.

Some varieties are also coming from Kerala. In Karnataka, the season has not started yet,” said Mustafa, a mango stall owner. Mangoes from Maharashtra are yet to arrive in significant quantities. Tejas, from My Mango People, a collective of mango farmers in Maharashtra, said, “We expected a large crop due to abundant flowering, but that has not materialised.

There is a supply shortage of Alphonso mangoes, which we grow. This will likely push up prices when they arrive. The delay is due to climatic fluctuations, and Alphonso will be late this year.” While the season has begun, sellers say the best quality mangoes are yet to reach the markets. Farmers expect peak arrivals from the end of April. For now, however, consumers appear content that mangoes are back on the shelves.