Department of Horticulture has announced several incentives to mango farmers intending to participate in the month-long ‘Mango Fair' inaugurated at Hyderabad on Friday last. Mango farmers of the north coastal districts, including Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, and East and West Godavari districts, planning to participate can avail the multiple incentives for setting up their stalls at the State fair.
A sum of Rs.10,000 is being extended to farmers for ethylene treatment of mangoes to facilitate ripening of the fruits by way of injecting of the hormone required for ripening of the fruits.
Farmers were also being extended a financial assistance of Rs. 5,500 to each farmer for transporting of 10 tonnes of their mango species to the venue of the fair. Besides, Rs.700 per tonne is being paid to every farmer for availing the cold storage facilities in the State capital for preserving their mango fruits.
Farmers will also be paid Rs. 6,000 each for packing and selling them at the exhibition.
The government apart from providing accommodation is paying Rs.150 per day during their stay. The State government is also fixing remunerative price for the farmers depending on the gradation of the mango varieties.
The government is spending Rs. 37,200 on each participating farmer who stays for a 10 days in the mango fair.
Additional Director of Horticulture G. Prabhakar Rao told The Hindu that the actual mango season would begin by the end of April and ripe mangoes would flood the market by then.
Due to the recent gale about 10 percent to 15 percent of mango crop experienced a drop in the mandals of Yelamanchili, Nakkapalle, Kotavratla, K.Kotapadu and Kasimkota.
By and large the mango crop have been promising and a large number of farmers were evincing interest to participate in the mango fair. The mango fair launched on April 13 will continue until May 14.
