Alphonso mango production is likely to be up by 25 per cent this season and touch the two-million tonne mark due to good flowering, said a top government official today.
"The Alphonso production is likely to be 25 per cent more than last year at about two million tonnes. The production stood at 1.77 million tonne cultivated in 3.40 lakh hectares in 2010-11 season," National Horticulture Board Managing Director Bijay Kumar told PTI here.
He added, "...The flowering is good this year and if the weather remains conducive the production will definitely be better than last year."
This variety of mango is the first in the season and arrives in the markets after mid-February and is available till June end. Alphonso mango is mainly grown in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Even as the Alphonso's per hectare yield is 4-5 tonne as compared to 8-9 tonne in other varieties of mango, the popularity of Alphonso fetches good price.
Alphonso mango is also popular abroad and about 40 per cent of the produce is exported to the Middle East countries, Europe and the US. Banganapalli, Kesar, Payari, Vanraj, Rajapuri and Gulabi are the other varieties that are exported.
"This variety (Alphonso) is the most popular because of its shape size, colour and taste," Kumar said.
According to Sanjay Pansare, Fruit Market Director of Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) at Vashi, the traders are feeling encouraged by reports of good flowering and are expecting around 500 trucks per day here this season as compared to 300 trucks per day last year.
"If the season holds right this year we will witness a better produce than last season," Pansare said.
The total mango production in the country during 2010-11 was 16.07 million tonne cultivated in 2.4 million hectare.