The five-day Mango Mela in Dharwad, hosted by the Department of Horticulture, recorded the sale of over 53 tonnes of mangoes, raking in around ₹70 lakh. The primary goal was to provide farmers fair returns while offering chemical-free fruits to consumers. Visitors from the twin cities showed strong interest, especially in the famed Dharwad Alphonso variety.
Sales showed a steady rise:
- Day 1: 2,100 dozen
- Day 2: 3,000 dozen
- Day 3 & 4: 4,000 dozen each
- Day 5: 3,400 dozen
Altogether, around 18,000 dozen mangoes were sold during the mela.
However, compared to last year’s 90-tonne sale generating ₹1 crore, this year’s numbers were lower. Unseasonal rains dampened footfall, with growers suggesting that the event could have been better timed—possibly in late April or early May.
Consumers also pointed to unregulated pricing as a major setback. Unlike previous years, the department did not fix fruit rates based on size. Many vendors priced their ‘A’ grade Alphonso mangoes at ₹500 per dozen, discouraging buyers.
Mango growers also noted that other districts like Koppal and Bengaluru held longer 10-day events, drawing more customers. Pramod Gaonkar, a local grower, urged the department to extend Dharwad’s mela to at least a week.
In response, Deputy Director of Horticulture KC Bhadrananvar confirmed that next year’s mela will run for seven days to better accommodate farmers and buyers.
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