The first batch of mangoes made its way to the APMC market on Monday morning, but this year, it wasn't the usual Alphonso variety. Instead, five dozen boxes of Devgad Kesar mangoes were the first to arrive, marking a slight shift in the season’s early offerings.
The box containing five dozen mangoes, were sold to an exporter for a premium price of Rs 17,000. Kesar mangoes, traditionally associated with Gujarat, have also been cultivated in the Konkan region of Maharashtra for the past decade.
FPJ/ Farooq Sayed
FPJ/ Farooq Sayed
According to mango trader Sanjay Pansare, the initial flowering of mangoes takes place in Kerala, followed by Maharashtra, and then Gujarat. However, the flowering in Kerala is often damaged by heavy rains, leading to a delay in production. "The box that arrived this time is from Devgad," he explained.
While Alphonso mangoes typically make their first appearance in December, this year’s mango season has been delayed due to an extended monsoon. "Usually, we start receiving the first box in December, but this year the season is late due to the prolonged rains," Pansare added.
With the mango season beginning later than usual, traders and exporters are keeping an eye on how this will affect the supply and pricing of the beloved fruit in the coming months. “The production mangoes is expected to increase from the month of March and the production will increase, the rates too will keep going down,” added Pansare.
