King of fruits costs a princely sum

VIJAYAWADA: Summer has arrived and people are yet to have their share of mangoes this year.The king of fruits is going to cost a princely sum this time due to short supply as the yield is low in view of adverse seasonal conditions this year.In Krishna district, mango orchards are spread over 67,115 hectare, of which 55,000 hectares have fruitbearing trees.Banginapalli variety accounts for 70 percent of the crop and the rest by Thotapuri, Rasalu and other varieties.“The first flowering season is from the last week of December to January-end.Unseasonal rains in January this year have hampered flowering.The second and third spells of flowering have also been delayed.By the time the fruits came to ripen, temperature will raise high, which will lead to low yield,” said M Venkateswarlu, deputy director, Agriculture Export Zone.Big arrival of mangoes in Vijayawada will happen in the first week of April, said B Sri Ramulu, marketyard secretary.As the supply is low, prices are skyrocketing to the dismay of mango lovers.Though Chinna Rasalu have made their entry, the price is between Rs 250 and Rs 350 per dozen.Each fruit is being sold at Rs 30. For bigger size, the cost of dozen mangoes is Rs 500. V Padmaja, a housewife, who came to Swaraj Maidan Ryhtu Bazar, was shocked at the price of mangoes.Mango price rise has only added to the burden of common man, she said.Konda Manikyeswara Rao, an Ayurvedic doctor and a mango lover, said: “These fruits are much awaited by everyone of any age.Whatever the price and size, we have to enjoy the fruit, for it is available only once in a year.” It appears mango growers are set to make some good money this year. “Prices are going to be definitely high,” said B Raghu, a farmer