Mangoes to cost tad higher this season

Thiruvananthapuram: Mangoes will most likely be more expensive this year because of the sparse rains that the state has received. The prediction comes from the wholesale fruit sellers in the city.

“We expect the yield of mangoes to be very less, this time around. The prices will certainly not be less than last year. There is a high possibility that it is going to be high,” says M Rajasekharan, a wholesale seller in Chalai.

The early withdrawal of the North East Monsoon must have resulted in lesser crop production, according to K Prathapan, Director, State Horticulture Mission.
“The flowering season of mangoes here is between October and December. By January or February fruiting would start. Usually the monsoon continues till September and the rains might even continue till December. However last year the rains were less, and accordingly it would have affected production,” he said.

However he added a pertinent point – Kerala not getting enough rain, will not be the reason why the price of Banganapalli will be high. “The pricing many a time is market-driven. So mangoes from outside Kerala might also be priced high, if a few dealers decide so” he says.  

Tuesday’s pricing for Sindooram, Kappa, Kottoorkonam and Priyor mangoes were Rs 50 per kg, Rs 110 per kg, Rs 130 per kg and Rs 80 per kg respectively in Chalai. Banganapalli, Panchavarnam and Moovandan mangoes were priced at Rs 60 per kg. A week ago, mangoes had started arriving. However it will be another week, before the Alphonsos, Imampasands, Kilichundans and 20 other varieties arrive.