Fruits from elsewhere flood Kolar market

The recent unseasonal rain ravaged the mango crop in Srinivaspur, the largest mango-growing taluk in Karnataka. The large-scale fruit fall shattered farmers’ hopes of making a killing in the market, and traders too were despondent about the dip in the business.

But the arrivals from growing areas in Mysore and Ramanagaram districts have lifted the spirits of traders, albeit to the despair of local growers.

Mango stalls in the local market are sporting varieties such as Raspuri, Thothapuri and Rajgira. Push-cart vendors too are selling Thothapuri from outside the district. To add to the unhappiness of farmers, the “imported” mangoes are selling at high prices.

Raspuri sells at Rs 35-40 a kg, while Rajgira is quoted at Rs 45 a kg. Compare that to the  shocking paltry price of Rs 20 that the local farmers sold a bag of 50 kg of their mangoes in the local market just a few days ago. But all hopes may not be lost for the local farmers.

The shiny, colourful mangoes from the neighbouring districts, however, are not in great demand. Buyers are sceptical of the attractive appearance of the fruit, and speculate if they are grown with high chemical input.

Horticulture Department officers, however, have words of solace for the local farmers.

‘Mango crop in the neighbouring districts are harvested earlier than in Kolar. By next week, the mango crop in the district will be ready for harvest, and things won’t be as bad as the farmers are expecting,” an officers says.