THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:When you walk through the arched gateway of Connemara Market, the air is so saturated with the scent of fresh mangoes that you can savour the fruit by just inhaling the air. Mangoes from all parts of India have started arriving in the city with the onset of the season.
“The mangoes that come in the summer months have a richer taste than the ones that come offseason. The sales are very good. So, we bring in new varieties from all parts of India”, says Riyaz, a mango merchant in Connemara market, who has been in the business for over three years.
The much-beloved varieties like Banganapalli from Andhra Pradesh, Alphonso from the markets of Mumbai and the native favourites like Kottoorkonam, Priyoor and Kilichundan have already made their entry into the Kerala market. Imported variety of mangoes are also in demand. Alphonso, Kesar and Imam Pasand are also exported to many West Asian and European countries.
''We used to get very large mangoes from Rajasthan, each weighing up to 3 kg. For two years now, that variety is not available”, says Riyaz.
While Alphonso and Kottoorkonam are priced at Rs 150, Banganapalli, Moovandan and Priyoor are sold at Rs 90 to Rs 110. However, the price of mangoes are set to go down in the later days of the mango season.
Over the next week, look out for the arrival of Mallika, the fibreless mango with an exceptional taste, Imam Pasand, the mango with a characteristic sour outer layer and a juicy inner layer and Kesar, the Gujarati mango with a bright orange pulp.
These fruits will initially be priced at around Rs 150. Other mangoes that are set to enter the market in the next week include Malgoa and the multi-hued Panchavarna from Tamil Nadu.
Apart from consumption as a ripened fruit, a few native mangoes like the ‘pulisseri’ mango, known for its small size and a tangy taste, is known to go well in curries. The market also sells large, raw mangoes so that people can experience the bliss of eating slices of crunchy, sour mangoes with a touch of salt and chilli.
Mango sales saw a decline in the past years due to the increased use of artificial ripening agents. Fruits ripened artificially will have a rich colour while not being as sweet as the naturally-ripened ones. Also, the ripening agents are illegal due to the health hazards they pose. Mango fruit festivals, which were once very popular in this city, also have declined due to the same reason.