West Bengal: Malda Mango Exports Hit As Sellers Fetch Better Prices Locally
Wholesale prices of mangoes have surged by 50-80% due to a combination of low crop and high-quality produce. Around 17 tonnes of Malda mangoes were sold at Rs 100-150/kg in an expo in Delhi.
Mango exports from West Bengal's Malda district have taken a hit as sellers are getting a good price for their produce in India.
According to officials, importers from the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates had shown interest in the mangoes, but a deal could not materialise due to disagreements over pricing.
"This year, export deals were scrapped by buyers from the UK and Dubai, who initially showed interest but couldn't meet our price demands," Samanta Layek, Malda's deputy director of horticulture, told PTI.
Wholesale prices of mangoes have surged by 50-80% due to a combination of low crop and high-quality produce. Around 17 tonnes of Malda mangoes were sold at Rs 100-150/kg in an expo in Delhi.
"Production was down by 60% this year due to adverse climatic conditions. The output was 2.2 lakh tonnes as compared to 3.79 lakh tonnes in 2023," Layek said, adding that mango sellers in Malda have been unable to export their mangoes for the past two years now.
According to Ujjwal Saha, general secretary of the West Bengal Exporters' Coordination Committee, there was some progress for shipments of 1,300 kg of Himsagar Mango in the first tranche, but importers couldn't agree on the price in the final stage of negotiations.
"Mango growers in Malda require more hand-holding to manage pesticide use and better processing and storage facilities to maintain the quality for exports," Saha said.
Known for its sweet taste and rich aroma, the Himsagar Mango is seen as one of the best mangoes available in India. Fazli, Himsagar, Laxmanbhog, Langra and Amrapalli are the varieties of mangoes available in Malda.
