Kesar production may fall 20%

The unfavourable stroke of rains has washed away the expectations of encashing on the right time for the mango cultivator in Sorath Province of Gujarat this year, as they fear that cultivation of mango crop will be down by 20 to 25 per cent this year.

"Last year, out of the total production of 50 lakh boxes of 10 kilograms each, about 12 lakh boxes had arrived at Talala Marketing Yard (TMY) and the estimated turnover of mangoes was around Rs12 to 13 crore. This year we are expecting 8 to 9 lakh boxes of mangoes each of 10 kilograms and the estimated turnover is likely to range between Rs 40 to 45 crore," said Hasmukh Jarsaniya, secretary of TMY.

In Talala (Gir) area of Junagadh, around 80 per cent of villages are engaged in orchid farming of mangoes, especially Kesar mangoes, which covers more than 95 per cent of the area but since the crop has been damaged by the rains, villagers are expecting a shortfall mangoes by 20 to 25 per cent this year, he added.

Last year, highest price of mangoes was about Rs 130 per 10 kilograms and lowest was Rs 40 per 10 kilograms at TMY, with an average pricing of Rs 83 per 10 kilograms around the season.

With expected shortage in the crop this year, farmers though predicting better rates are not able to encash the opportunity, "This is the right time, when the crop becomes ripe and we sell it in the yards; but the unexpected showers has damaged the flowers and raw fruits which were hanging on the trees.

Due to this, there has been an acute shortage of ripe fruits," said Talshi Barad, farmer from Talala village.

This season, the TMY officials are expecting to start mangoes auction 15 days late in comparison to the previous year's auction timing, because the crop required in abundance to start the auction is yet not available for trading, he added.

"Last year even exporters from across the country visited our region to book their orders during this time, but this year despite US Government opening mango imports from India, not a single exporter has yet made their way to Talala. The rains have drained our hopes," Barad said.

This has not only made farmers suffer, but even the open market is facing shortage of ripe mangoes due to which the customers have to pay heavy price to but these mangoes.

"The current price rate of Alfanso mangoes which have arrived from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra ranges between Rs 500 to 2,000 per 10 kilograms and Kesar mangoes costs Rs 200 to 700 per 10 kilogram. The customers are still waiting for few more days expecting the fruit to get little cheaper," said Lala Kotat, a fruit merchant from Rajkot.

In last two days, hardly 150 to 175 boxes of Kesar mangoes have been transported from TMY to Rajkot markets and this being the opening of the first round of trade, is not as per the previous year's opening. As a result, the fruit merchants are expecting 20 to 25 per cent price rise in mangoes this year, he added.