Traders anticipate shortage of mangoes ahead of Akshay Tritiya

The rates of mangoes have risen in the retail markets of the city as well with mangoes from Devgad, Ratnagiri, selling for ₹800 to ₹1,000 per dozen

While the auspicious day of Akshay Tritiya when people purchase mangoes in large quantities is just round the corner on Friday, May 10, the supply of mangoes from the Konkan belt to Pune Market Yard has dropped and the rates of mangoes have also risen by ₹300 to ₹400 per dozen in the market.

Last week, 8,000 to 10,000 boxes of mangoes were arriving at Pune Market Yard from the Konkan belt but now, only 4,000 boxes of mangoes are arriving daily. (MAHENDRA KOLHE/ HT PHOTO)

Yuvraj Kanchi, vice-chairman, Pune Market Yard Traders’ Association, said, “The supply of mangoes has gone down and there will be a shortage of mangoes during the Akshay Tritiya festival due to which, the rates of mangoes have risen by around ₹300 to ₹500. Earlier, the rates of mangoes were ₹350 to ₹400 per dozen which have now risen to ₹850 to ₹900 per dozen at Pune Market Yard. But it is the first time that there will be a shortage of mangoes in the market as the first batch of this season’s mangoes came in the month of April itself before the Akshay Tritiya festival.”

“Last week, 8,000 to 10,000 boxes of mangoes were arriving at Pune Market Yard from the Konkan belt but now, only 4,000 boxes of mangoes are arriving daily. This will have a major impact on the overall festive season sale of mangoes during Akshay Tritiya,” Kanchi said.

The rates of mangoes have risen in the retail markets of the city as well with mangoes from Devgad, Ratnagiri, selling for ₹800 to ₹1,000 per dozen. Sagar Abnawe, a mango retailer in Pune, said, “We have been in the mango selling business for the last 20 years and this year, the season’s first supply of mangoes has already been completed in April. Earlier, the first batch of the mango season used to arrive during Akshay Tritiya and this year, there are fewer mangoes coming to us from Devgad.”

However, citizens are excited ahead of Akshay Tritiya. “Every year, we start eating mangoes in our family after the Akshay Tritiya festival. We conduct a puja and offer mangoes to Lord Ganapati in the house and then our mango season starts,” said Ankita Kambale, a Punekar.