BENGALURU: After facing a setback this year due to the conflict in West Asia, the Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation, which had stalled the idea of establishing a mango pulp-making unit in Chintamani, has placed a fresh proposal for the same before the state government.
Keeping in mind the next season and the financial cycle of 2027-28, the corporation is looking at various options to dispose of mango stocks at the two processing units in Chintamani and another in Ramanagara this season for want of a pulp-making unit and lack of demand from private processing units.
“Earlier this year, we placed a proposal before the state government to set up a 1000-tonne pulp and processing unit. But due to lack of support from fruit-processing industries and their partners, the plan was put on hold. Now, a fresh proposal has been submitted to set up a processing unit for the next season. Fruit-processing industries are not keen on taking pulp or mangoes this year.
They reason that they have around 100 tonnes of mangoes procured last year,” a senior official from the corporation said. Last year, 110 tonnes of mangoes were sent for pulping and processing from the Chintamani packaging house. This year, it has procured 20 tonnes so far. The corporation has two processing units in Chintamani. Another packaging unit was recently set up in Ramanagara, where the focus is on coconuts.
Some quantities will be sent to the cold storage units in Tumakuru, Bengaluru Rural, Hosur and Koppal. The corporation is also studying the markets in other states so that mangoes could be sent there. Mango melas are also being held across the state to boost sales.
“We do not want farmers to dump mangoes on the streets this season. The West Asia conflict has impacted us drastically. Last year, around 1000 tonnes were exported. This year, around 100 tonnes have been exported so far. They were pre-booked orders,” the official said.