Watermelons to jam with grapes at this year's mela

For those looking for the sweetest of grapes, the hugely popular mela by the Horticultural Producers Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society (HOPCOMS) is back, beginning Wednesday. Only now, it has a new name and look, the Grape and Watermelon Mela 2012.

Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda will inaugurate the mela at the HOPCOMS outlet at Hudson Circle. On simultaneously at HOPCOMS's 287 outlets, the mela will be there till the season lasts.

Watermelons too

An added attraction this year is the inclusion of watermelons. S. Shanmukhappa, managing director of HOPCOMS, Bangalore, said, “This is the season for watermelons, so we decided to include them too.”

This year too, consumers will get a 10 per cent discount when they buy a 2-kg carton of grapes. The rates of the fruits, however, will vary each day, depending on the prevailing rates and the quantity of produce. Also on sale will be raisins.

The varieties

Consumers can choose from Thomson Seedless, Sharad, Indian Black Globe and Red Globe from the grapes varieties. Apart from those grown in north Karnataka (Bijapur, Bagalkot and Gulbarga), produce from Sangli district of Maharashtra have also arrived.

Those hunting for the reddest melons can choose from the Namdhari and Kiran varieties.

HOPCOMS is hoping for a 20 per cent increase in sales this year. In 2008-09, some 579 tonnes of grapes were sold at the mela with the society making a profit of Rs. 2.26 crore; in 2009-10, 527 tonnes were sold for a profit of Rs. 2.38 crore; and in 2010-11, 426 tonnes were sold at a Rs. 1.95 crore profit.