Last year’s prolonged monsoon and other climatic changes in Maharashtra have affected the Alphonso mangoes in the Konkan belt. The flowering and fruit setting has been delayed, leading to almost 50-60 per cent dip in production.

Alphonso mangoes usually hit major markets by early February, but this year’s season is delayed by almost 60 days. Regular delivery of Alphonso mangoes are expected to resume only by March-end.

Sanjay Pansare, Director on Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), Navi Mumbai, told BusinessLine that due to the shortage, the prices have spiked to ₹6,000- 9,000 per case (five dozen) in the wholesale market. In the comparable period last year, the prices were ₹3,000-6,000 per case, depending on quality, he said.

Mangoes in the wholesale markets are traded in cases or boxes, which hold five dozens of the precious fruits.

Last year, about 30,000 cases were arriving in the market everyday, but today only 5,000 are reaching every alternate day, Pansare said.

A few retailers are selling them at ₹2,500 per dozen in affluent areas of Mumbai. Due to the unique taste and flavour of the Alphonso mangoes, they fetch a premium in the market. The mangoes cultivated in Devgad region of Konkan even have their own Geographical Indication (GI) Tag. Former member of Maharashtra Horticulture Board and mango cultivator and expert Vivek Bhide said that usually in the Konkan region, 3,000 mm of rains are logged. But last year, they crossed 5,000 mm and also lasted till November. The winter temperatures also did not dip to the levels required for healthy flowering and fruit setting,

Farmers usually manage to recover their costs by selling their produce in February and March, but due to delayed fruit setting, the mangoes will hit only by late April or May, which is the last month of consumption of mangoes. It may lead to distress sales and price crash, he said.

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