The clientele of home-grown mangoes of Dhenkanal district has been increasing rapidly in the State and even outside.
Several trucks loaded with such mangoes are being transported to other districts and outside the State on a daily basis now. Villagers in Hindol and Kamakshyanagar have already sold over 12 tonnes of mangoes last week.
Three kinds of mangoes are grown in the district - commercial, hybrid and elite. Elite mangoes are the ones that grow on roadsides and in forest without any specific care and treatment.
Villagers collect these mangoes and sell those to middlemen at `3 to `4 per kg who then supply those to juice-making companies at `8 to `12 per kg. These mangoes are more in demand as they come cheap unlike other varieties that cost `20 to `30 per kg.
Deputy Director of Horticulture Debendranath Parida said elite mango varieties are natural, untouched by chemicals, good in taste and affordable for companies. “These mangoes are less expensive for companies which are into production of fruit juices, jellies and jams. Use of these mangoes brings down their cost of production,” he said.