Decreased rainfall hits mango output in Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam: Even as the month of April draws to a close, the mango season has not yet taken off to its full swing due to varied reasons in the district. Besides the declined output (owing to decreased rainfall, delayed flowering and the subsequent bad crop), the farmers are still waiting to harvest the mangoes as artificial ripening with calcium carbide is banned, affecting the availability of mangoes in the markets of Visakhapatnam.

Earlier, the farmers used to pluck the mangoes even before they reached the hard ripe stage and ripen them artificially with calcium carbide. But now with the Food Safety officials cracking a whip on the sellers for artificial ripening, one can hardly trace the mango sellers in the markets.

And as a direct consequence of the shortage, the prices of mangoes have skyrocketed and one has to pay at least Rs 120-150 for mangoes of ordinary variety, forget the mouth-watering Banginapalli and Rasalu.

On the other hand, no farmer is selling the king of fruits at the rythu bazaars in the city as the officials made it mandatory for them to get a certificate that the mangoes are ripened naturally.

Speaking to this correspondent, estate officer of the MVP Rythu Bazaar, K. Varahalu, said they had to undertake this ruling in view of the artificial ripening with calcium carbide which hastens the process of ripening but could result in a variety of health complications. With increasing industrialisation and urbanisation, the extent of mango orchards has come down to 11,000 hectares in the district.

Generally, an acre of mango trees yields about four tonnes of mangoes. But with late blooming and flowering, the agricultural officials are expecting only about 50,000 tonnes of mango produce this year. Assistant director of agriculture marketing, Kaleswara Rao, informed that there are presently four ripening chambers in the district and one is in construction at Nakkapalli.

The officials also informed that one ripening chamber is likely to come up at the MVP Rythu Bazaar in Visakhapatnam. To overcome the shortage of ripening chambers in the district, the district horticulture officials have tied up with a private organisation, which prepares low-cost ripening chambers on request. These ripening chambers, which could cost about Rs 50,000 to 1 lakh, can ripen about one to two tonnes of mangoes.