RAYAGADA: Mangoes from rural areas of Rayagada district will soon rule the market of national capital. Thanks to the efforts made by the district administration, the fruit has been successfully marketed in Delhi. In the first phase, 4.5 tonnes of mangoes were transported by Samata Express after the export initiative was flagged off by project director of District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Rayagada, Sukanta Tripathy from Rayagada railway station here on Sunday.
The Assistant Director of Odisha Rural Development Marketing Society A Uma Mahesh said earlier mango traders were collecting mango directly from the orchard at a price of `10 to `15 only. However, the trade linkage will now help the growers get `28 and above per kg of the fruit. The official said this year around 300 tonnes of different varieties of mangoes like Dasheri, Amrapalli, Lengda, Malika and Totapalli of Rayagada district will be transported to Raipur, Rourkela, Bhubaneswar and other places apart from New Delhi.
Last year, the district administration had tied up with National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India along with Mother Dairy of Delhi. In Kashipur, Bissamcutack, Muniguda and Rayagada block areas, mango production rose to a substantial quantity. To simplify and enhance the mango sale, 45 mango producers’ group were formed with help of 3,026 farmers of the district. Collector Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar said massive mango plantation had been taken up with help of DRDA, Integrated Tribal Development Agency and Watershed department under MGNREGA schemes in Rayagada.
As mango producers were not getting a good profit out of their sale, the district administration has struck institutional tie-ups with at least six mango business centres in the country that will add more to their dividends. In Rayagada district, mangoes ripen late. “The growers will get a good benefit through the linkage system,” claimed the Collector. According to sources, due to regular onslaught of northwester and hailstorm, the production has come down this year compared to last year.