Telangana: Mango trade sees dull days in Jagtial market

The Chelgal mango market on the outskirts of Jagtial town is one of the biggest markets in the State

Jagtial: Mango trading in the Jagtial district market is continuing, but on a lethargic note. The low prices being offered for the fruit is said to the primary reason behind the slowdown in the trading.

The Chelgal mango market on the outskirts of Jagtial town is one of the biggest markets in the State. Since Jagtial mangoes are quite famous, traders from different north Indian States usually come down here to purchase the fruit during the summon season.

---

Mango trading, which faced severe hardships during the Covid-19 days, has failed to pick up even after the pandemic. Besides various diseases attacking the crop in different stages, recent hail storms too damaged the crop in a big way. According to Horticulture department estimates, the yield would be lesser by at least 30 percent this year.

Besides the fall in yield, the quality of the mangoes has also been affected. Citing this, traders are not paying high prices for the mangoes. While the best quality mangoes are being paid Rs.30 to Rs.33 per kilogram, the normal quality is getting Rs.25 a kg. Though Rs.45 to Rs.50 a kg is the average price for the best quality crop, traders are citing ‘damages’ to bring the price down to Rs.30.

Mango growers, who already spent additional amounts to protect the crop from diseases, are not showing interest in bringing the crop to the market. As a result, 50 percent of traders, who got licenses from the marketing department to purchase mangoes from farmers, have not opened their shops so far. Out of 88 licensed shops, only 45 shops have opened so far.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Jagtial agriculture market committee secretary, Thanniru Rajashekhar said that the price of mangoes in the local market would depend on the Delhi market from where mangoes would be transported to different north Indian States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and others.

Traders in the Delhi market reportedly rejected a few mango laden lorries due to poor quality. So traders were not paying much price in the Jagtial market, he said, expressing hope that price would go up and trade would pick up pace in the coming days.

Mango orchards are spread across 35,000 acres in the district. Though it was expected to get 1.32 lakh metric tons of yield, the same could be much lesser this year.