A farmer from Udupi, Karnataka is making headlines for cultivating mangoes. Joseph Lobo, a resident of Shankarpur, has garnered attention by growing a rare breed of mangoes on his rooftop terrace. Unlike the typical varieties available in the market, Lobo specialises in Miyazaki mangoes, a highly popular Japanese variety.
Lobo sells these mangoes at a staggering price of around Rs 3 lakh per kilogram, earning approximately Rs 10,000 for each mango. He ventured into this business in 2023, but the first year was unproductive due to unfavourable weather conditions. This year, however, he has seen a significant yield and substantial profit.
In addition to mangoes, Lobo cultivates various other rare fruits in his terrace garden. His 1,200-square-foot rooftop space is home to white Java plums, Brazilian cherries, a rare Taiwanese orange breed and the popular Shankarpura jasmine. He also sells these plants.
Lobo’s terrace garden has a diverse array of plants, including all-season mangoes, seven varieties of cherries, white violets, seedless lemons, Miracle Fruit, medicinal plants and various vegetables. Furthermore, he engages in beekeeping, contributing to a collection of 200 different plant varieties on his terrace.
Among all his fruits, the Miyazaki mangoes stand out due to their exceptional medicinal properties and unique taste, justifying their high price. Talking to Loacal18, Lobo said that the Miyazaki mango is grown by several farmers in India. Its high market value is because of not only its taste but also its medicinal benefits, he added.
Lobo is also known as the first hydroponic farmer in Karnataka to cultivate jasmine using hydroponic techniques on his terrace. Besides horticulture, his diverse farming activities include dairy farming and honey production. His rooftop garden also features rudraksha, camphor, date, banana and black pepper plants.
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