Three-day mango mela begins today at Kuppanna Park

Mysuru: The three-day annual mango mela organised jointly by the zilla panchayat and the department of horticulture featuring naturally ripened farm fresh mangoes will begin from Friday at Kuppanna Park abutting Mysore Palace in the city.
Deputy director of horticulture BT Rudresh said on Thursday that the mela, which was delayed due to the model code of conduct this year, has been organised to provide direct marketing facilities to mango growers of the region besides making available quality mangoes for customers.
The department has set up 23 stalls in which mango growers from Mysuru, Mandya, Ramanagara districts will sell their produce directly to consumers at affordable prices. The event will be open from 9am to 8pm. Chamaraja MLA Harishgowda will inaugurate the mela.
Of the 23 farmers who are taking part, 13 are from Mysuru, seven are from Mandya and three are from Ramanagara.
The department will exhibit 40 varieties of mango during the mela. Varieties of mango such as Badami, Raspuri, Malagova, Amrapali, Imam Pasand, Sendhura, Dussehri, Mallika, Sakkaraguthi, Kalpahad and Baganapalli will be on sale.
Though the season is an off year for the crop with about a 40% drop in yield, efforts have been made to bring top quality fruits to the mela. Farmers are bringing products directly from their orchards, he said.
Rudresh said mango cultivation is spread around 7,337 acres in the district with an annual output of 35,000 tonnes.
Though there is a 40% drop in the yield this year due to delayed flowering, falling of flowers following unseasonal rains and other reasons, mango growers are fetching decent prices this year. This is due to less output as well as higher demand from mango juice manufacturing units from Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu and a few districts of Telangana. Mango Juice and pickle making units are buying directly from farmers at Rs 50 per kg this year.
Rudresh said the department has also promoted farmers to take up horticulture crops under different schemes like MNREGA and National Horticulture Mission. Under these schemes, farmers are given financial aid including the saplings of various horticulture crops.
The department is ready with 1.5 lakh coconut saplings which will be distributed to farmers at Rs 25 each at its nurseries in all taluk headquarters from next month, he said.