Visakhapatnam: Mangoes were sold like hot cake and the stalls went empty within hours after the three-day Mango festival kicked off here at MVP Rythu Bazaar on Thursday.
The festival is being organised by the Department of Horticulture in a bid to dissuade farmers against using of carbide.
On the first day, only 10 varieties of mangoes with rare hybrid species were exhibited and sold, providing a rare chance to savour carbide-free mangoes.
The officials told that more varieties of mangoes would be sold in next two days of the festival.
The varieties included the famous Banganapalle, Cherukrasam, Collector, Suvernarekha, Imam Pasand, Panchadara Kalasa, Totapuri. Many more from parts of North Andhra will be displayed on the show.
The mango exhibition-cum-sale is also displaying good quality mango saplings from government farms. Mango-jelly was also sold out within no time. The prices of mangoes ranged between Rs 50 to Rs 100 per kg depending on the variety of the mango.
Mangoes in the fest will be graded by experts. All the farmers who will be participating in the mela will get subsidy for packing and transport of the mangoes.
