Consumers at Panaji market in Goa are unable to afford mangoes at the moment as a weak supply has seen the price of the fruit soar; the popular mancurad variety is being sold for between Rs2,000 to 2,500 a dozen.
Vendors say that while the influx of unseasonal mangoes has been scarce so far, the sale of mangoes is likely to normalize in the market post April.
The king of fruits had an early arrival this season with a few dozens on sale at a exorbitant price of Rs4,000 a dozen in January. Until last week, they were sold for Rs1,600 per dozen. This increased to Rs2,500 per dozen in April.
For now only mancurad and alphonso mangoes are easily available while other varieties can be purchased in limited numbers.
The short winter season this year around was not intense enough to permit proper flowering of the fruit trees.
"Trees are already bearing mangoes but some varieties will flower only in June," said Agriculture department director Ulhas Pai Kakode. "Though the volumes of mango produce look no different from last year, we will know the exact figure only by June."
Since climate change is affecting the volume of mango production, agriculturists in the state are sceptical about making a profit this season.
Premanand Mhambre, who owns an orchard in Chorao said that even the use of artificial agents to induce flowering have failed. "There are methods that include chemical treatment to induce flowering forcibly. But, owing to the short winter this time, I don't think it has helped the few farmers who have resorted to this method," Mhambre said.
He thus appealed to the government to develop new varieties of mango that can withstand a fluctuation of climate.
