Karnataka to set up mango export zone

The Karnataka government plans to set up an agricultural export zone for mangoes in the state with an aim to export mangoes to European and West Asian countries in large quantities.

India is the world's largest producer of mangoes but over 99 per cent of it, 97 lakh tonnes, is consumed domestically, leaving only 65,000 tonnes for exports.

Thus India occupies second position, accounting for 19.5 per cent of global exports. Mexico leads by supplying 23.5 per cent of world requirements and Brazil comes third with a 15.1 per cent share of world exports, horticulture director G K Vasanth Kumar said while speaking to reporters at the mango mela organised by his department at the Lal Bagh.

In order to boost mango production, the government plans to impart technical training to farmers from the major mango growing regions like Kolar and Ramanagar and Chennapattna in the first phase.

Under the second phase, districts of Tumkur, Uttara Kannada, Belgaum, Bijapur, Dharwad and Haveri are to be taken up.

According to Vasanth Kumar, technical training needs to be given to farmers as 80 per cent of mango fruits are plucked before they ripen. They are then artificially ripened using calcium carbide to impart colour without quality and taste.

This is taking place as the farmers, instead of harvesting the crop themselves, sign pre-harvest contracts with sellers. If they harvest and carry on other activities on their own, they will not only benefit monetarily but can also create employment opportunities for the rural people, he added.

Through this intensive training, farmers will be taught lessons in pruning trees, harvesting, packing, transporting and marketing. Since such training is expensive, it will be for a limited number of farmers initially. Then those who get trained can train other farmers.

"This capacity building is aimed at increasing production of export-quality mangoes," Vasanth Kumar said.