MANGALURU: Alphonso mangoes from Devgadh and Rathnagiri in Maharashtra were once available only to the elite. But not anymore. Even the common man can gorge on this succulent variety of mangoes.
Thanks to the growers of this variety in Karnataka, the growing area of Alphonso has expanded.
The mood at the Mangaluru Mango mela that opened on Friday was certainly upbeat as Alphonso was available at a cost that was affordable by one and all.
A grower from Mundgod, Harish Bhimgadh, told Express that Mundgod, Haliyal, Joida, Yellapur had seen Alphonso plantations mushrooming since 2001. They continued to be raised till 2010. These plantations have started yielding fruits and have commanded a higher yield than the old plantations of Sindhudurgh, Devagadh and Rathnagiri which were traditional and exclusive Alphonso-growing areas.
A trader said, “The prices have come down from `240 per kg during the beginning of the season to `120 on Tuesday in the retail market.”
With Alphonso prices going down, prices of other vareities such as Mundappa, Kadri and Kalapadi saw a decline in prices.