Mango Mela all set to return after two-year Covid-hiatus

Bengaluru: After a two-year hiatus caused by the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, the Horticulture department is all set to organise a Mango Mela at Lalbhag depending on the arrival of fruits. Mango lovers have to wait for a few more weeks for the tastiest of the king of fruits to arrive in the market.

Various factors have affected the mango yield. "Due to the late flowering, there has been a delay in the arrival of fruits. The year's yield has also been affected because of unseasonal rains and high temperatures. A high moisture content in the soil due to the incessant rains during the previous year is the reason for delayed flowering. Many regions including Kolar, Chickballapur, Ramanagara and Rural Bengaluru are known for producing mangoes.However, the yield is 50% lower than expected.

The Mela will possibly be conducted during the midweek of May or the beginning of June," says a senior official. The Mela is expected to showcase 8-10 varieties of mangoes this year."We are planning to set up several stalls so that it benefits the farmers from various districts. The mela will be organised in Lalbhag and a few other areas but on a smaller scale. As all of them cannot be accommodated in Lalbhag, the Mela held at other areas will be an added advantage. Eight-ten varieties of mangoes such as Badami/Alphonso, Raspuri, Totapuri, Amrapalli, Mallika, Banganapalli and so on will be sold this year. As the rate of fuel has escalated, the price of the mangoes have gone up by 30-35%," he adds.

The delay hasn't affected the sales this year. "Badami mangoes are expensive this year and the ones that are mostly bought by the customers are Totapuri and Banganapalli. Although there is a delay in the arrival of fruits because of the low yield, the sales are pretty good this year compared to the previous year," says a local vendor.

A resident of Basavangudi states that he enjoys the Mela. "There was a gap of two years and since it is going to be organised this year, I'm eager to visit the Mela as several varieties of chemical-free mangoes are likely to be available," he says. "Summer is incomplete without buying mangoes. The price may be high but a few varieties come at an affordable price. One can either prepare a bright yellow milkshake or make a wide range of dishes that are both tasty and healthy. No wonder it is called the king of fruits," says a resident of Lalbhag area.