Karnataka - Hassan   

A good mango is hard to find

No takers: Raju, a mango seller, with baskets of mangoes in Hassan

HASSAN: Last year, the mangoes kept in baskets on the roadside were a common sight. This year, however, the yield has come down. Even prices are beyond the reach of the common man.

This is mainly owing to the untimely rainfall and strong winds last month that affected the mango crop here. Last year, on account of good yield, mango was sold at Rs. 10 a kg. This year it is being sold at between Rs. 50 and Rs. 60 a kg.

Raju, a mango seller, said the fruit was arriving from villages, but in less quantity. This year saw unprecedented rainfall as a result of which the crop had been affected. Half the crop had withered away. The remaining had been affected by pests, he added. The crop failure has not only affected the consumer, but also contractors who are in the business of maintaining mango trees. These people did not anticipate the unprecedented rainfall. They have paid advance to several farmers.

Hassan grows the Raspuri variety of mango. Butyield has reduced drastically, and hence the increase in prices. Neelam and Malgoa varieties of the fruit are yet to enter the market.

Generally, the mango season starts from April and continues up to June.

Prakash, a resident of Hassan, said that although he had paid Rs. 50 a kg, the fruit was not tasty. Some stalls selling fruit juices had been forced to purchase these poor quality mangoes, another resident, Nagaraj, said.

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