Mango growers in Chittoor district are pinning their hopes on the pulp industry this year, as the crop yield is expected to be around 35%, a slight increase compared to the previous years.
Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the farmers fear about poor pricing for the produce, recalling the scenario three years ago when the price of mango plummeted to below ₹7,000 per tonne, which included governmental support. However, this year, the mango growers’ association is hopeful of getting ₹10,000 per tonne.
About 45 pulp industries in the district are ready to lift about 4 lakh tonnes, with a crushing capacity of 10,000 tonnes per day. The association members on Saturday met Deputy Chief Minister K. Narayana Swamy at Puttur, seeking his intervention to get good price for the produce in view of the huge losses suffered by the growers during the last half decade in the backdrop of low yields, followed by the the pandemic for the second consecutive year.
The growers also brought to the notice of the Deputy Chief Minister that those who had raised the table varieties of the mango were bogged down with zero exports to the northern States and abroad owing to COVID-19. After speaking to the Horticulture Department officials, Mr. Narayanaswamy urged the association members to follow a set pattern in harvesting the crop at different phases so that it would be convenient for the pulp industries to process crushing.
District mango pulp industries forum secretary Govardhan Babi said the apprehensions of mango farmers about the prices were taken to the notice of the district administration. He said that in view of good climatic conditions, the size of the mangoes was very satisfactory and that the farmers were advised not to be in a hurry to harvest the crops, but wait till the fruit ripens. He said it would take another 15 days for the work to get full-fledged in all the pulp units.
Meanwhile, the vendors dealing with table varieties at the markets find it difficult to sell the stocks in view of the lockdown strictures. In view of the summer heat, the mangoes are rotting fast, forcing them to dispose of the fruit at throwaway prices. On Saturday, the price of Benisha in most markets stood at ₹100 for 5 kg, the price of which was close to ₹100 a kg in 2019 and ₹50 to ₹70 in 2020.
