Due to heavy rain in December last year, mango trees that were in the flowering stage were affected, and this has reduced the yield.
Salem is known for its mangoes. In the past two years (2020 and 2021), due to the Covid pandemic, the mango sale was hit in April and May. In 2021, tonnes of mangoes were reportedly wasted.
Speaking to TNIE, J Srinivasan, a wholesale mango trader said, "usually the mango flowers bloom in December. At that time, mango flowers need some dryness. If there is rain and damp weather, the flowers are affected. Last December, due to the rains, the mango yield has been less."
"Usually, in the first week of April, 10 to 20 tonnes of mangoes arrive in the market, and in peak season it is as much as 100 to 150 tonnes per day. But this year in the first week of April, only one to two tonnes of mangoes are coming into the market. Due to poor inflow, the prices doubled this year," he added.
"Alphonso mango which was sold for Rs 100-110 per kg last year is being sold for Rs 200. We received more orders from foreign countries this year but were unable to send mangoes. We expect at the end of April only 50 to 60 tonnes of mangoes will arrive at Salem market per day, which is half of what used to come during peak season. During peak season, the price might reduce," Srinivasan added.
Speaking to TNIE, food safety officials caution people while buying mangoes. "Public should identify the mangoes by their weight and smell. Naturally ripened mangoes will weigh less and will be rich in the smell. But mangoes that are ripened using calcium carbide stone or spraying ethylene liquid over them will weigh more and will not have a rich smell. Artificially ripened mangoes cause health problems such as pain in the stomach, and dysentery," officials said.