BENGALURU: Like always, the annual Mango and Jackfruit Mela at Lalbagh is a hit with the people this year too, as farmers continue to sell their produce directly to customers. Around 100 farmers from across the state have set up stalls at Lalbagh, selling different varieties of mangoes, including Alphonso, totapuri, Dasheri, Badami and Mallika.
Syed Ashfaq Ahmed from Noorpura in Srinivaspura taluk, who is selling Mallikas at his stall, said, “The yield is low this year because it has rained more. But I am sure it will be more next year. I have been coming here for the past five to six years and this mela is brings us more profits than the outside commercial market. At the markets, we have to pay the commission, while here all the profits come to us. Also, the customers get the best quality fruit as we don’t use chemicals to ripen the mangoes and we sell the mangoes at the right season. I am selling Mallikas for Rs 60 per kilogram.”
The mela has around 80 stalls. Mohan, another farmer from Srinivasapura taluk, said, “My yield started only about 20 days ago. I came here on May 25, and I have sold mangoes worth Rs 10,000 on a daily basis. The first day the business was low as it rained. But during the weekend, there were a lot of customers. I sell Mallika and Badami, which are liked by customers.”
Manoranjan K., a resident of Lalbagh area, said that he enjoys mangoes from Lalbagh Mela as they are tasty and free of chemicals.
