Due to untimely rains and pest attacks, the production of mangoes in Hyderabad has been below expectations. This has resulted in a low supply of the fruit and higher prices for consumers. The Horticulture department estimates that the yellow fruit produce will be around 20 to 30 percent less compared to last year. The reason behind the low production is that during the flowering stage of the mango crop in November, crops were damaged by unseasonal rains and pest attacks, resulting in a fall in the crop yield. Additionally, during the fruiting process, many fruits got damaged due to sudden rains and hailstorms.
Mangoes arrived in the market a little early compared to last year, but the quantity remains very low and the price continues to soar. Normal mango is currently being sold at Rs 180 per kg, whereas last year it was Rs 100. Other varieties of mangoes, including The Himayat mangoes, are being sold at Rs 250 per kg, while Benishan/Banganapalle is available for Rs 180 per kg and Kesar is being sold for Rs 250 per kg.
Retail vendors have to pay more money to purchase mangoes from city markets due to the low supply and high demand for the fruit. Wholesale mango dealers in the city’s major fruit markets have raised concern and dissatisfaction over the low production of mango this year due to unseasonal rains and pest attacks. Mango arrivals at the Koheda market in Hayathnagar and Batasingaram, Gudimalkapur and Monda Market, Secunderabad, have come down by 20 to 30 percent compared to last year. The State markets receive mangoes from various districts of Telangana that include RangaReddy, Suryapet, Mahabubnagar, and Khammam, as well as various districts from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
