BENGALURU: Despite a delay in the arrival of the King of Fruits, the annual Mango Mela in Lalbagh Botanical Garden will be held from May 24 to June 10. The mela is being organised by Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation Limited (KSMDMCL) and the Horticulture Department.
This year, the mela will be held despite the model code of conduct in force owing to the Lok Sabha elections.
An official from the KSMDML said that no mango tours will be conducted this year owing to the elections, harsh summer, and poor crop. “However, the demand for the mela from farmers and consumers is on the rise. We held a meeting with farmers, and they wanted the mela to be held in Lalbagh for better business,” added the official.
The area under mango cultivation in Karnataka is 1.48 lakh hectares, yielding 12–15 tonne of the fruit. However, this year, owing to extreme hot and dry weather conditions, the yield has been around 5 lakh tonnes across the state. “Overall, there has been only a 30% crop yield. But many farmers have suffered a lot. The Mango Mela is aimed at helping them,” the official added.
To encourage farmers from Karnataka, the board has decided that the participation of farmers and traders from other states in the mela will not be encouraged, this year. Fifty to 60 stalls will be set up for farmers to sell not just mangoes of several varieties but also jackfruit.