King of Fruits Fails To Charm Buyers

 Hyderabad: Unseasonal rains and the outbreak of  have hit mango hard, bringing down the sales unprecedentedly.

While there are several factors contributing to this decline in sales, crop losses due to unseasonal rains led to reduced yields. The output was further exacerbated by the recent outbreak of the Mangu virus.

The Batasingaram fruit market, located in Kothaguda and renowned as the wholesale supplier for Hyderabad, witnesses daily auctions of 1,500 to 2,000 metric tonnes during the summer season. The mango supply chain typically involves distributors, who purchase them from farmers, and distribute the stock to retail vendors.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Miryanam Ravinder, a fruit dealer, said mango crop's quality has been subpar. “The relocation of the fruit market from Kothapet to Batasingaram has dissuaded several vendors. Another contributing factor is the ban on the use of calcium carbide with plastic coverings for ripening mangoes. Without the characteristic yellow hue, mangoes fail to entice consumers.”

Batasingaram Fruit Market secretary Chilaka Narsimha Reddy said the impact of the Mangu virus, which occurs as black spots on the fruit, has led to a fall in demand. Government agencies had initially projected an 11 metric tonne yield per the year, but due to natural disasters, the actual yield plummeted to between 6 to 7 lakh metric tonnes.