The Hindu : Karnataka / Mysore News : Ganjam guavas flood Mysore markets

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 23, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mysore

Ganjam guavas flood Mysore markets

By Our Staff Correspondent

Ganjam guavas are in demand in other States also.

MYSORE, AUG. 22. Here is good news for those who go gaga over guavas as the guava orchards at Ganjam near here have yielded a good harvest, resulting in Mysore city being flooded by the fruit.

It has been an eventful year for fruit lovers as well as fruit merchants with increased output of jackfruits followed by guavas.

Better known as "Kabul Benne," Ganjam guavas are popular in the region for their high-quality pulp. The orchards in Ganjam are said to have received royal patronage from Hyder Ali and his son, Tipu Sultan.

Unique taste

The unique taste of Ganjam guavas give them an edge over other varieties, especially those with the pink pulp. With less seeds, the pulp of Ganjam guavas is very tasty and the guavas are much sought after by agro-processing industries.

With an unprecedented harvest this year, the traders point out that the price for a bag of guavas has come down by more than 50 per cent when compared to that of the last year. In fact, the cost of a bag containing 100 guavas of various sizes is hovering between Rs. 110 and Rs. 130 as against the previous year's price of Rs. 300.

According to traders at Boti Bazaar, the wholesale fruit market here, all the guavas that arrive at the market are sold out by around 11 a.m. It is learnt that nearly 10 tonnes of guavas arrive daily at the market. On an average, a ton has 5,000 guavas of various sizes.

Widely sought

The Ganjam guavas are widely sought and retail traders from the neighbouring States of Kerala and Tamil Nadu come to Mysore to place orders. Besides, the guavas are also sold in Bangalore, Kodagu, Chamarajanagar, Mandya, and Dakshina Kannada. Traders point out that farmers in Ganjam and surrounding areas grow guavas in orchards as big as 15 acres to 20 acres. The farmers either own the orchards or lease them. The guavas with red pulp, though attractive, are not sweet and the pulp is full of seeds.

According to Nagaraja, a fruit vendor from Chamarajanagar, the price of guavas has come down owing to a bumper harvest.

With the prices crashing by more than 50 per cent and increased output of guavas, he says that people with a liking for the fruit are bound to have a good time.

He says that he has been selling around 1,000 guavas a day over the last fortnight, and expects the sales to continue for another month and a half.

He says that while six medium-sized guavas cost Rs. 10, one can get four big guavas or 10 small guavas for the same price.

With pushcarts selling Ganjam guavas doting the city, Mysoreans can have their fill of "Kabul Benne."

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