Kolkata, Mango exports from West Bengal's Malda district have been hit this year as exporters have failed to secure remunerative prices from foreign buyers, while sellers are getting lucrative prices in the domestic market, officials said on Saturday.
Importers in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates had initially shown interest, but shipments could not materialize due to price disagreements, they said.
However, sellers are getting good responses from the domestic market as around 17 tonnes of Malda mangoes were sold at Rs 100-150 per kg at an exhibition in Delhi, officials said.
Wholesale prices increased by 50 to 80 percent due to a combination of low harvest and high quality products.
"This year export deals were ruled out by buyers from the UK and Dubai, who initially showed interest but were unable to meet our price demands," he told . Samanta Layek, deputy director of horticulture at Malda.
West Bengal Exporters Coordination Committee general secretary Ujjwal Saha said there was some progress for shipments of 1,300 kg of Himsagar variety in the first tranche, but importers could not agree on the price at the stage. end of negotiations.
Sellers in Malda were unable to export their mangoes for the last two years and efforts to break this trend were not successful this time, he said.
Layek said mango prices soared this year due to a drastic drop in production caused by heat waves and unseasonal rains.
"Production was reduced by 60 per cent this year due to adverse weather conditions. Production was 2.2 lakh tonnes compared to 3.79 lakh tonnes in 2023," she said.
Fazli, Himsagar, Laxmanbhog, Langra and Amrapalli are varieties of mangoes available in Malda.
Known for its sweet taste and rich aroma, the Himsagar mango variety is fiber-free and is considered one of the best mangoes available in India.
Mango farmers in Malda need more help from the government to manage pesticide use and better processing and storage facilities to maintain quality for exports, Saha said.
However, the Delhi Mango Festival saw a massive response: "17 tonnes of Malda mangoes fetched good prices," Layek said.
“Malda mangoes were sold between Rs 100 and Rs 150 per kg,” she added.
Importers in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates had initially shown interest, but shipments could not materialize due to price disagreements, they said.
However, sellers are getting good responses from the domestic market as around 17 tonnes of Malda mangoes were sold at Rs 100-150 per kg at an exhibition in Delhi, officials said.
Wholesale prices increased by 50 to 80 percent due to a combination of low harvest and high quality products.
"This year export deals were ruled out by buyers from the UK and Dubai, who initially showed interest but were unable to meet our price demands," he told . Samanta Layek, deputy director of horticulture at Malda.
West Bengal Exporters Coordination Committee general secretary Ujjwal Saha said there was some progress for shipments of 1,300 kg of Himsagar variety in the first tranche, but importers could not agree on the price at the stage. end of negotiations.
Sellers in Malda were unable to export their mangoes for the last two years and efforts to break this trend were not successful this time, he said.
Layek said mango prices soared this year due to a drastic drop in production caused by heat waves and unseasonal rains.
"Production was reduced by 60 per cent this year due to adverse weather conditions. Production was 2.2 lakh tonnes compared to 3.79 lakh tonnes in 2023," she said.
Fazli, Himsagar, Laxmanbhog, Langra and Amrapalli are varieties of mangoes available in Malda.
Known for its sweet taste and rich aroma, the Himsagar mango variety is fiber-free and is considered one of the best mangoes available in India.
Mango farmers in Malda need more help from the government to manage pesticide use and better processing and storage facilities to maintain quality for exports, Saha said.
However, the Delhi Mango Festival saw a massive response: "17 tonnes of Malda mangoes fetched good prices," Layek said.
“Malda mangoes were sold between Rs 100 and Rs 150 per kg,” she added.
