Vijayawada: Mango farmers taste success thanks to lifting of restrictions

Vijayawada: Mango farmers who feared that the Covid-19 lockdown could spoil the exporting prospects of mangoes to other States, are now earning profits as exports to other States and other countries continue unabated because there are no restrictions on exports of agriculture products in the country.

The Union government has given exemption for the supply of agriculture products, grains, fruits, vegetables and other products. Consequently, mango farmers in AP are able to export their produce to other States and earn profits this year.

Mango production in the State is estimated at 10.46 lakh metric tonnes this season. Out of which, 3.24 lakh metric tonnes of mangoes were harvested so far and the remaining crop 7.21 lakh tonnes are yet to be harvested.

Of the total harvested crop, 80 to 85 per cent crop is exported to other States and countries. About 10 to 15 per cent crop is consumed in the State.

Chittoor district tops in mango production with estimated cultivated area of 1,12,189 hectares followed by Krishna district with 70,975 hectares, Anantapur 53,219 hectares, Vizianagaram 43,474 and Kadapa 28,976 hectares. Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari and Nellore districts each have crop area of more than 10,000 hectares. The total estimated crop area in the State is 3.85 lakh hectares.

When the lockdown was announced in March, farmers feared that they could not export mangoes to other States and would suffer huge loss. But, change of lockdown rules and lifting restrictions helped them to export mangoes to Delhi, Kolkata, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

Good weather conditions particularly plenty of rainfall last year in the State and measures like covering mango with paper bags helped farmers to get quality mangoes this year. Banginapalli mangoes fetched the highest price of Rs 40,000 per tonne this year in East Godavari, Vizianagaram, Kadapa and Kurnool districts, said Joint Director of Horticulture P Hanumantha Rao.

Speaking to The Hans India, the JD said Suvarna Rekha variety fetched maximum price of Rs 28,000 per tonne, Panukulamanu variety in Vizianagaram was sold at maximum price of Rs 24,000 per tonne and Totapuri variety between Rs 6,000 and Rs 12,000 per tonne.

Compared to the previous years, the average price of mangoes per tonne is more this year, said K Raghuram, a mango farmer in Agiripalli of Krishna district. He said the problem of pests is very less this year and it helped the farmers to get good quality mangoes.

Joint Director Hanumantha Rao said the farmers were able to produce high quality of mangoes due to support given by the Department of Horticulture, which distributed paper bags on subsidy price to the farmers.

He said nearly 40 lakh paper bags were distributed in Krishna district alone to the mango farmers. Paper bags protect the mango from weather and pests. Pesticide is sprayed on the crop to protect the crop from pests.

K Satyanarayana, a mango farmer in Reddigudem, said Nuzvid is well known for Banginapalli mangoes and the farmers are delighted as quality crop was being exported to other States and farmers on an average earned Rs 30,000 per tonne.