Bangalore:
India is the world's largest producer of Mangoes, and May-June is the time when every region is filled with its own special varieties of the fruit. Bangalore is no exception, but the common man's best-loved fruit is acting pricey this time.
The king of fruits has arrived in markets - at a princely sum this time.
"Business is very low this time. This year, for Rs 100, you can get only 2 KGs of mangoes, last year for Rs 100, you got 6 KGs, says Aslam Pasha, who has been selling mangoes for 28 years now.
Not that the price factor has stopped Bangaloreans from buying their local favourites.
"I like mangoes and especially Malgova. It's very tasty, and it's big, and stomach filling. I don't want to miss eating them, says Sinchit, software professional.
But it's the large mango-loving middle class that's feeling the pinch. Prices of the most popular varieties have gone up by over 100 per cent. Raspuri, considered affordable unlike the Alphonso, is selling at over Rs 60 a kilo this season. But experts say this was expected.
"Mango produces very good crop in one year and very poor crop in the subsequent year. That's a natural quality of the mango fruit. And I can also tell you that next year will be a bumper crop, says Dr Mukunda of the University of Agriculture Sciences.
Summer time is mango time. Bangalore's favourites -- Raspuri, Badami, and Neelam -- all lined up. But with a lean crop this time, the aam has gone out of reach of the `aam' aadmi this time.
The king of fruits has arrived in markets - at a princely sum this time.
"Business is very low this time. This year, for Rs 100, you can get only 2 KGs of mangoes, last year for Rs 100, you got 6 KGs, says Aslam Pasha, who has been selling mangoes for 28 years now.
Not that the price factor has stopped Bangaloreans from buying their local favourites.
"I like mangoes and especially Malgova. It's very tasty, and it's big, and stomach filling. I don't want to miss eating them, says Sinchit, software professional.
But it's the large mango-loving middle class that's feeling the pinch. Prices of the most popular varieties have gone up by over 100 per cent. Raspuri, considered affordable unlike the Alphonso, is selling at over Rs 60 a kilo this season. But experts say this was expected.
"Mango produces very good crop in one year and very poor crop in the subsequent year. That's a natural quality of the mango fruit. And I can also tell you that next year will be a bumper crop, says Dr Mukunda of the University of Agriculture Sciences.
Summer time is mango time. Bangalore's favourites -- Raspuri, Badami, and Neelam -- all lined up. But with a lean crop this time, the aam has gone out of reach of the `aam' aadmi this time.
