The Bengal mango is going places this summer on the strength of one of its best produce.

While local mangoes have already travelled to all corners of India and many places abroad, this will be the first year when a fruit sellers’ association will showcase two varieties (Himsagar and Lakshmanbhog) at Dilli Haat, a crafts and food bazaar frequented by foreigners in the heart of the Capital.

The Bengal mangoes will be on sale there for a month from the end of this week. The aim is to sell at least 100 tonne of the fruit.

“The biggest problem fruit growers face is marketing their produce. They hesitate to venture into new markets because they are afraid of being cheated or not finding any buyer. That’s why our association is helping fruit growers sell mangoes in Dilli Haat,” said Satyabrata Mukherjee, the chief patron of Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Growers and Exporters Welfare Association of West Bengal.

Apart from Delhi, mangoes from Malda and Murshidabad are being sent to other states like every year. Fuelling the demand this time is the poor production in other parts of the country.

In Andhra Pradesh, unfavourable climatic conditions and pest attacks lowered mango production by about 20 per cent. Cyclone Phyan, which hit the west coast, severely affected production in Maharashtra, known for Alphonso mangoes. Flowering was delayed in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka hampering production.

The bumper harvest in Bengal has also come as a boon for buyers and sellers in the city. “The market is flooded with mangoes this year, unlike last year. This year, everyone will be able to buy mangoes at affordable prices,” said Md Shabbir, a wholesaler at the Mechua market, while auctioning hundreds of cartons of the fruit on Tuesday afternoon.

On an average, 90 lorries carry 15 tonnes of mangoes each to the biggest fruit market in the eastern region daily. “Prices are likely to come down further later in the season,” said Iftekhar Alam, the general secretary of the Mechua Fruit Sellers’ Association.

According to trade estimates, between 2.5 lakh tonne and 2.75 lakh tonne mangoes have been harvested in the state. In 2009, the produce was as low as 1 lakh tonne because of inclement weather that delayed flowering.

Mango trees generally flower every alternate year. According to growers, 2009 was expected to be a good year but the crop in Malda was damaged in May by Aila, causing a 25 per cent shortfall in output, which pushed up the price.

Publication date: 6/2/2010