The Hindu Business Line : Mangosteen turning popular among consumers

Kochi June 5 Mangosteen, an exotic tropical fruit dubbed as "The Queen of the Fruits" and similar in size and colour to the plum, has of late become popular among the consumers pushing up the demand and consequently the price.

But it is not passed on to the growers.

Middlemen still procure it at very low prices from the households, which have it by and large as homestead trees such as nutmeg. Besides, it is found in selective areas and, hence, the supply is limited.

In Kerala, it is grown mainly on the embankments of the rivers Pampa, Manimala and Achankovil in the districts of Pathanamthitta, Alapuzha and Kollam. Since, it has not been very popular among the people in Kerala, the traders used to procure the fruits from the growers in these regions and send it to Chennai the main market. The trading hub is Konni in Kerala's Pathanamthitta.

During the harvesting season from May-August, traders procure the fruits at Rs 2 per piece on an average, Dr Thomas P. Thomas, an agriculturist told Business Line. There are three or four small plantations of about 100 trees each in Courtallam and Thenmali areas of Tamil Nadu.

Price list

The fruits are graded into three, a major trader in Konni said. First and second grades are sold at Rs 400-500 a basket containing 100 and 150 fruits respectively, while the third grade is sold at Rs 200 for a basket of 200 pieces. From Chennai it is sent to Bangalore and Delhi, he said. The total business at Konni is estimated at Rs 15-20 lakh per season.

According to Dr Thomas, the middlemen are making good money when the farmers are given Rs 2 a piece, and it is sold in the supermarkets and fruit stalls at Rs 90-100 a kg (8-10 fruits).

Fully organic

Besides, unlike other fruit trees it is pest and disease-resistant and, hence, the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides is not needed. Therefore, according to him, it is fully organic. Since it is popular abroad and fetching high prices, government agencies should come forward to facilitate direct sales by the growers to the buyers. On the other hand, he said, mangosteen "is highly revered for its health benefits", he said. It is a stronger anti-oxidant than either Vitamin E or C! The fruit is believed to be native to Malaysia and can be found in China, Thailand, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Hawaii.

In India, it is successfully grown in Nilgiri Hills, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu and in Kerala.

Vegetative conditions

The tree is not adapted to limestone and grows best in deep, rich organic soil, especially sandy loam or laterite. In India, the most productive specimens are on clay containing coarse material and a little silt. Sandy alluvial soils are unsuitable and sand low in humus contributes to low yields. The tree needs good drainage and the water table ought to be about 6 ft (1.8 m) below ground level.

However, in the Canal Zone, productive mangosteen groves have been established where it is too wet for other fruit trees. Mangosteen must be sheltered from strong winds and salt spray, as well as saline soil or water.

Cropping is irregular and the yield varies from tree to tree and from season to season. The first crop may be 200-300 fruits. Average yield of a full-grown tree is about 500 fruits. The yield steadily increases up to the 30th year of bearing when crops of 1,000 to 2,000 fruits may be obtained. In dry, warm, and closed storage, mangosteens can be held for 20 to 25 days. Longer periods cause the outer skin to toughen and the rind to become rubbery; later, the rind hardens and becomes difficult to open and the flesh turns dry, Dr Thomas added.

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