Mango season starts late, but better yield cheers farmers

Salem: Arrivals of popular mango varieties from the Salem region are a trifle late for the season this year, but the increased yield appears to keep farmers and traders happy. 

The mangoes from Salem region have robust market demand for their unique taste due to the climatic condition and soil nature here. The regular arrival of mangoes from Salem usually commences by end of March each year and it continues till June-end. 

However, this year it has begun in mid-April and farmers from Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts cultivating mangoes on a large scale pin their hopes on the positive market signals despite the delay in arrivals. 

While mangoes from Salem and Namakkal will go to markets that directly reach out to consumers in a ready-to-eat condition as it were, farmers in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts cultivate mangoes for producing mango pulp.

Of the more than 60 varieties of mangoes grown in this western belt, about 50 are being cultivated in Salem region alone, including the famous varieties of Malgova, Alphonso, Sindoora, Nadusalai and Imampasanth, say farmers. 

The president of the ‘Federation of Farmers and Traders for Advancement and Protection of Salem Mangoes’, Mr J Seenivasan, speaking about this year’s prospects said, “the season has started fully from April 10, 2018, and arrival of mangos is high now. A kilo of mango is being sold between Rs 100 to Rs 150 and based on arrivals in coming days, prices will dip to the range of '70 to Rs 100.”

According to him, flowering was affected due to severe winter last December and also the following cyclone delayed the season for the current year. He said, “however, farmers and traders are happy over increased arrival of mangoes than last year. Mango arrivals are at regular intervals every year and now it has come at one time. If rain arrives in coming days, it will help to get better size mangoes.”
 Meanwhile, traders from across the country placed their orders before the season began in Salem. Traders are sending mangoes by courier in large numbers this year. Mr Sreenivasan further said, “consumers can book orders online and over phone for mangoes. It would be packed carefully and delivered through couriers without any damage. It helps consumers to get mangoes at a lower price.”

Interested people can log on to https://www.salemmangoes.com/ . eom.