Mangoes a costly affair this year

The water scarcity problem has hit pockets of people. Due to poor rains, drought conditions and poorer harvests, the arrival of mangoes has reduced considerably this year leading to a steep hike in their prices, which go as high as Rs 250 per kg.

Local retail stores and pushcarts are selling verities at Rs 100 per kg for Bangenipalli, Rs 250 per kg for Himayath and others, such as pedda rasalu, sundari, dasari, langada, totapari are available from anywhere in between Rs 100 to Rs 160 per kg.

V Yellaigh, deputy director of marketing at Gaddiannaram fruit market said, “About 1,000 tonnes of mangoes have arrived in April this year from different parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. That is very less. Last year we got upto 1,800 tonnes.

The reason for shortage is due to strict implementation of prohibition of carbide mangoes in the market. Now that the AP cities like Ananthapur, Chittor and Vijayawada are exporting to other States, supply in TS has taken a hit. Of course, poor rainfall is a big factor as well.

“The market rate for 1 tonne ranges from Rs 50,000 to 60,000 and this will further increase if supplies are not increased in May,” he warned. M Tajuddin, managing partner of M Jalamia & Co., general fruit merchant and commission agent, said, “Unless a bumper supply comes from AP or other regions of TS, prices will keep increasing.”