The mangoes from Muthalamada in Palakkad have been a major attraction of the Mango Festival organised by the Calicut Agri-horticultural society in Kozhikode for the last five years. What makes the Muthalamada mangoes so popular is that they are naturally ripened at a time when chemically ripened mangoes throng the market.
But for the mango farmers of Muthalamada it has been a bad season with the climate not favouring them at every turn.
“The first batch of flowers was destroyed in the rain and wind in November. The second was full of male flowers and these mangoes have come out of the third batch,” said V.Radhakrishnan, a member of the Muthalamada Mango farmers association, who has accompanied the team that has come to Kozhikode for the week-long festival.
The crop being late cost the farmers too much as they could not send the usual package to Delhi in January. Moreover, the heat this summer has caused even the ripe mangoes to wrinkle and fall off the trees prematurely.
‘Chakkarakkutty’, the sweet little mangoes are one of the most sought after varieties at the festival and costs Rs.120 per kg.
“We can not sell them cheaper. There are only two or three trees that grow them and it costs around Rs.700 to pluck the ripe ones,” Mr.Radhakrishnan said, adding that the Agricultural Department of the State is yet to recognise mango cultivation as agriculture and hence did not provide any kind of support to the farmers, who have suffered 40 percent loss this season.
The festival that began at the Gandhi Park on Cherootty Road features noted varieties such as Alfonsa, Khudadath, Banganappalli, Malgoa, Priyor, Chandrakkaran, Jahangir, Himayudeen, Himapasanth and Banasheen.
An exhibition of around 50 varieties of mangoes produced at the District Agricultural Farm in Thaliparamba is part of the festival.
The festival concludes on May 10.
