Mango bonanza for farmers of Odisha's Mayurbhanj

BARIPADA: After years of exploitation at the hands of traders, mango growers in Mayurbhanj district are finally reaping profit with the intervention of the district administration in marketing and trading of the fruit to other States.

The mango growers finally formed groups called Fruit and Vegetable units. There are 14 Fruits and Vegetable units in the district, from where the produces are being sent to Delhi, Bokaro, Banaras, Jharkhand and other parts of the country. The units have trading tie-ups with reputed companies outside the State and are actively carrying out their business in Baskitala in Bangiriposi, Rairangpur, Bisoi, Kaptipada, Udala, Moroda, Khunta, Kuliona and Baripada blocks of the district.

These units have apparently helped the growers in reaping profits. For instance, Baskitala Dasheri Producer Group earned a profit of Rs 16 lakh in 2015-16 by supplying 83 tonnes of mango to Mother Dairy, New Delhi and Bokaro Fruits and Vegetable Cooperative Society in four months. Despite poor harvest in 2016-17, about 650 farmers earned profit of  Rs 8.7 lakh from mango trade. Sources said the group had generated several business orders from different farms through their participation in mango festival in Delhi and fruit expo in Bhubaneswar.

After achieving success from sales tie-up with Mother Dairy, the farmers of Mayurbhanj district have formed Mayurbhanj Fruits and Vegetable Farmers Produce Company (MFVFPC) that is being monitored by Deputy Director of District Horticulture unit.“Ignorant about the market price of mangoes, the poor farmers were exploited by traders from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. The scenario has changed now. Odisha Rural Development Marketing Society (ORMAS) assists the farmers in marketing their products,” said District Supply and Marketing Society chief executive Kesab Jha.

Recently, Collector Vineet Bharadwaj visited major mango orchards in the district and collected information about production, market linkage, existing cold storages, packaging and grading of mangoes. He also interacted with mango growers.Several farmers have been benefited by the steps taken by the district administration. Kanhu Hansda (35), a farmer of Pindargodia village, earned Rs 1.50 lakh profit in four seasons of mango. Similar is the story of Sunaram Tudu (62), Jitendranath Hembram, Sangram Hansdah, Jayram Murmu, Turu Tudu and several other mango growers in Baskitala and Pindargodia villages in the district.

The farmers said the demand was high for lengada, dashri, mallika and amrapalli varieties of mangoes. They are selling the fruit between Rs 60 and Rs 70 per kg. In 2013-2014, the total production of mango under MFVFPC group was 40 tonnes, which helped the farmers earn Rs 8.72 lakh, with a profit margin of not less than Rs 20, 000. The profit margin went up from  Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 40,000 between 2015 and 2016. The group turnover was Rs 21 lakh, when the production touched 83 tonnes mark.

In 2016-17, the produce was reportedly poor. However, the group recorded Rs 16 lakh profit from the mango.“This season, the group and its member farmers will earn good profit as around 20  tonnes have already been supplied to Mother Dairy, New Delhi,” Jha added.Meanwhile, the district horticulture department is also extending support to the farmers by providing facilities of grading machine, pack house, cool chamber and ripening chamber for the fruit.