Desi mangoes rule the Odisha market this summer

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, May 14:

Desi mangoes are ruling the roost in the Odisha market this summer.

While mangoes of all kinds have been arriving in the local market in abundant quantities from every corner of the country, it is the local varieties that are winning the mango war hands down this year.

Local mangoes are being sold in the retail market for Rs 20-30 per kilo whereas the prices of Baigana Palei range between Rs 40-45, Pandupali around Rs 50, Sundari around Rs 40-50 and Akhurasa around Rs 40.

The ‘Baigana Palei’ variety, which usually sits on top of sales chart, has taken a beating this year owing to low prices of local mangoes and untimely and artificial ripening methods that makes the centre of this fruit sour.

“The sales of Baigana Palei, however, are expected to pick up around ‘Savitri Amavasya’. We expect mangoes from Andhra, Brahmapur, Nirakarpur and Nimapada to rule the market,” opined Narayan Sahoo, a shop owner of Unit-1 market of Bhubaneswar.

“The sales are not highly profitable these days due to heavy demand for local mangoes. Baigana Palei is not the most preferred variety now as its centre remains sour. But, we still expect the prices to double up around Savitri,” he added.

Most mangoes other than the local produces are artificially ripened using carbide spray to meet the demand. More so, in case of mangoes coming from Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.

Health and agriculture experts are, however, not enthused over this.

“Even though usage of carbide spray to ripen faster and preserve longer is a common practice now a days and the fruits remain quite popular among the consumers, they are harmful for us,” said a professor of OUAT’s Horticulture Department.