PATNA: The king of fruits has arrived in the city this season with its king-size price tag. Buffeted by either unseasonal or deficient rain in the fruit-growing regions, mangoes are beyond the reach of aam aadmi. In some instances, the price has almost doubled and the yield, too, has declined, including its size.
The entire mango belt of the state, including Darbhanga, Bhagalpur, Vaishali, Samastipur, Purnia and Saharsa, are hit hard by the lack of mango showers or northwesterlies and prolonged extreme summer conditions right from the month of April to May.
A kilogram of Bombay and Gulab Khas varieties of mangoes, said to be the first available variety in the market, is selling at Rs75-80 at Boring Road, Income-Tax roundabout and Kadamkuan. The income-tax outlets are selling the same at Rs 90 to 100. Sources at Bazaar Samiti said the price of Bombay and Gulab Khas varieties have almost doubled in a year.
Bihar gets exotic varieties from Patna, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, West Champaran, Vaishali and Samastipur. "In 2013, some 15 lakh metric tonnes of mangoes flew off the shelf. This time, we've just about 12 lakh metric tonnes produce," said horticulture deputy director Nitesh Kumar Rai.
State horticulture department sources said the volume of mango crop has dropped by 25% this year. Patna's expectation of a good yield of 'Dudhia Malda' this year was badly hit by dry heat and nil rainfall. "Some 40% of the yield is damaged in intense heat," said Prabhakar, a farmer who looks after the sprawling Digha mango groove.
'Jardaloo' and 'Chausa', as they are called in Bhagalpur, are normally once-in-two-years unique yield. That, perhaps, explains why the bigger variety is sold at Rs 80-100/kg and the medium ones at Rs 50-Rs70 a dozen. The fruit is produced in 12,000 hectares of the district which is home to at least 5 more varieties, including Mallika, Gulab Khas, Prabha Shankar, Kishanbhog and Himsagar.
A Hajipur-based farmer Dhananjay Sah, who owns a huge orchard near Lalganj, said, "Last year, we had 85% of the total expected yield, but this time we are expecting only 60% of the expected yield. Nevertheless, the fruit size has also been reduced due to lack of summer or pre-monsoon showers in April-May. Even the fruit quality has been hit due to deficient rain in the crucial months. One or two showers can ensure a quality crop yield."
In a near-arid Darbhanga and West Champaran, the mango crop largely depends on rain. The horticulture deputy director said over 2.6 lakh tonnes of crop are expected from 10,000 hectare land. This year, it's going to be a lot less. The shortfall is so acute that fruit-sellers are looking to procure mangoes from neighbouring states like UP and Maharashtra.