Hyderabad: The King of Fruits could hurt your pockets this year. The bulk of mangoes coming into the Hyderabad markets faces a 50 per cent drop due to acute deficit in rain and loss of crop due to unseasonal rains.
The prime market for mangoes, the Gaddi Annaram Fruit Market receives 800 to 1,000 lorries of mangoes in April and the number increases to 1,500 to 2,000 loads during May. Each lorry carries two to three tonne of mangoes.
But now, only 200 to 300 truckloads are arriving at Gaddi Annaram Fruit Market. And out of 900 tonnes of stock that has arrived, nearly 30 per cent of fruits have been damaged.
Mostly, mangoes are being brought to this market from Mahabubnagar, Ranga Reddy, Khammam in Telangana and from Kurnool and Krishna districts in Andhra Pradesh. Nearly 15 per cent of mangoes are procured by city retail vendors and remaining fruits are exported to Delhi and Rajasthan.
Owner of Himalaya Fruit Company in the market Mr. Mohammad Ayub said this was the first time in the history of the fruit market, they were getting fewer truckloads. “Only 70 per cent of arrivals are good quality. Shortage of rains is the main cause,” he said.
K.Laxman Rao, a farmer from Nandigama said by the start of April, he used to export at least five loads of mangoes each day. “But now only one or two loads are being exported. However, this time we are getting a good price as demand has increased.
Earlier, we used to get Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 per quintal. Now the price is up Rs 30 to Rs 55 per quintal,” he said. Mangoes are also being sold in the retail market from Rs 60 to Rs 90 per kilogram. Traders are expecting the price to go up to Rs 120 or higher soon.
