'Konkan mango production falls 40-50% in three years'

THANE: Sudden climatic changes and pest attacks have led to a reduction of nearly 40-50% in harvest of Konkan mango crop including the popular Haapus over the last three years with cultivators claiming that this year too, barely 20% of the produce would be salvaged, BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar said on Tuesday.
Kelkar was addressing the media, along with a few cultivators from Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and representatives of Konkan regional NGOs, ahead of a mango festival to be held in Thane starting May 2.
"While nearly 3.2 lakh tonne mango crop was harvested in 2020, the produce shrunk to just 1.2 lakh tonne last year. The mango crop is cultivated on nearly 1.25 lakh hectares in the Konkan region. Several cultivators told us they could manage to harvest barely 20% of their average crop output this year which has been worst hit in the last few years. Unseasonal rains, heat waves and attacks from pests, especially in organic farms, are the main reasons for the slump," Kelkar said.
The situation was reflected at the Vashi APMC market also where the drop of mangoes from Konkan region was noticeable.
"While last year, we saw nearly 70,000 boxes coming from Konkan, this year we saw only 18,000 boxes coming in. The sudden heat wave in the early part of the year seems to have affected the peak summer crop output. However, the demand has been met by availability of mangoes from southern states that saw a rise from 15,000 boxes last year to 50,000 this season," Sanjay Pansare, mango trader and APMC director said.
Nonetheless, lakhs of mango lovers, especially Alphonso fans, are seen opting for the king of the fruits that is selling anywhere between Rs 850-1,350 and above per dozen. "We waited for the prices to correct for sometimes, but eventually gave in and purchased the produce before it could vanish from the stands," said a mango lover from Thane.