VIJAYAWADA: After a bitter 2020 due to a pandemic, mango farmers are hopeful that supply of the fruit to other parts of the country will fetch them good profits, following the early yield of different varieties in Krishna, Chittoor and Kurnool districts this year.
Meanwhile, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) organised Mango Buyers and Sellers Meet here on Tuesday, in which large-scale buyers from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat took part. As part of the event, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the farmers and the buyers for the purchase of 500 metric tonnes of mangoes.
Speaking on the occasion, horticulture commissioner S Sridhar said every step is being taken to scale up the demand for the ‘king of fruits’ and increase supply. “India produces around four per cent of the total global mango yield. The government is getting substantial revenue in the form of taxes through the sale of mango,” he said.
“Due to the pandemic, the mango supply had come down, resulting in huge losses to the growers. With the vaccination drive progressing in full swing, the department is hoping for a good business this year.” The commissioner added the supply to other states would increase if the crop quality improves, and suggested that the growers adopt modern technologies and new cultivation methods to improve their yield.
APEDA regional manager Nagpal asked the farmers interested in exporting their produce to register their details on the APEDA website. He said the farmers should adopt quality ownership practices, and show interest in exporting their produce.