Mumbai: Wholesale prices of Alphonso variety of mangoes have fallen by 50% in Mumbai because peak harvesting of the fruit in Konkan region led to doubling of arrivals. At Agricultural Produce Market Committee in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, around 150,000 boxes (1 box of 12-15 kg) arrived on Thursday, up from 75,000-80,000 boxes a week ago, said Salman Shaik, the owner of Aslam Bhai & Co. This year, mango season was delayed by two weeks after the first phase of flowering was damaged due to the extended winter season, said Ulhas Mulye, a Ratnagiri-based mango dealer.
Rising temperatures have also helped the maturing of the fruit for harvesting, which aided the rise in supply, Mulye added.
With harvesting in full swing in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurga districts of Konkan area, supply to the city has increased significantly. Supply from Gujarat has also jumped over the last few days. Prices of other varieties of the fruit also fell to 40-60 rupees per kg, compared with 80-120 rupees a week ago.
However, supply is likely to be impacted over the next fortnight as growers may turn to canning units to sell their supplies as prices have fallen below their cost of production. Canning units collect the fruit from the farms against cash payment, which saves the farmers transportation and packaging costs, among others.