Fall in prices brings cheer to mango lovers

Here is juicy news for mango lovers this year as the mango prices have become much lower compared to last few years. The production almost doubled this summer.

The mango market in Agriculture Market Yard (AMC) in Korukonda Road here has been witnessing a hectic activity from the past fortnight as the retail sellers (mostly cyclists from villages) are participating in auctions throughout the night.

According to Cherukuri Rama Rao, former chairman of AMC, the market registered entry of 50 to 60 small trucks daily till last year, but the number had crossed 120 this year. Most of the mango varieties come from Diwancheruvu, Velugubanda, Chakradwarabandham, Farizallipeta on one side, Konthamuru, Korukonda, Rajanagaram, Rampachodavaram and Kothapeta, Ravulapalem. This year Banginapalli, Chinna Rasalu, Pedda Rasalu and Collector varieties are in good demand and the prices of these varieties have also come down.

In retail market, the Banginapalli variety (big) is being sold at Rs.170 to Rs. 220 per ‘paraka’ (13 mangoes) and medium size are between Rs.100 and Rs.150. Rayudu Rajesh, farmer-cum-wholesale seller at Diwancheruvu wholesale market, said that large extent of harvesting, high yielding and competition between farmers to sell their produce quickly in view of onset of monsoon are the reasons for downfall in prices. He said in wholesale market the load of Banginapalli variety was at Rs. 16,000 to Rs. 30,000 a tonne, while the maximum price for the number one variety of the fruit was Rs. 20,000 per tonne last year. However, the ‘Chinna Rasalu’ variety which is mostly imported from Nuzvid, Mylavaram and Vissannapeta in Krishna district are costlier than last year. A dozen mangoes of ‘Chinna Rasalu’ variety costs as high as Rs 350 - Rs 400.

Prabhakar, an SBI employee and who is a regular customer to Kambalacheruvu mango market, said that the prices of mangoes were less compared to last year and pickle mangoes are also came down sharply.

He said that mangoes sold by the Central Prison, Rajahmundry were in a great demand, but they were sold out with in four to five days.