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Mangoes work their magic on avid Amdavadis Wednesday, March 14, 2001

This is not just an aam season. For every aam season is a special one a time to enjoy the juicy fruit that is one of the few good things that an Indian summer offers.
And as it does every year, the rasila mango has made its entry into Amdavadi fruit markets. The first entrants are Gola, Payri, Sundari, Alphonso, Totapuri and Vijayawada mangoes, which come from Maharashtra and South India. The golden fruit finds pride of place on shelves of many fruit shops now, and people in the city are looking forward to a juicy season.

The season, which picks up after Holi, comes with the first variety of mangoes, ranging from the King of Mangoes, the Alphonso, to the poor man's mango, Badam. "The season actually begins from January but it ebbs and picks up only after Holi. We have started getting Gola, Payri, Sundari, Badam, Totapuri and Alphonso, which will continue for the next four months," says Chimandasbhai Khatumal, a fruit merchant in Manek chowk.

The mangoes are also priced accordingly with the King, Alphonso, being the higest at Rs 100-120 per kg. "Gola is available at Rs 25, Payri at Rs 60 and Sundari at Rs 50," informs Khatumal.

The fruit is brought mainly from Ratnagiri, Chennai and Vijaywada. "The mangoes from Ratnagiri are the juiciest of all and the best. So is the Badam from Vijaywada," says Harishbhai, a fruit merchant in Kalupur. While most of the mangoes have already entered the market, Kesar, Dasheri and Langda will start only from May. "These mangoes are brought from Uttar Pradesh primarily and their season begins only from May or early June," says Khatumal.

Sales have also picked up. "The business has started very well and we have good number of grahaks coming and purchasing. While the middle-class prefers to purchase Gola or Badam, the rich and upper middle-class buy expensive ones like Alphonso, Sundari and others," says Khatumal.

As the fruits come from outside, the quake has fortunately not affected the quantity or quality. "Mangoes that come from Gujarat will begin only from May that too from Junagadh and hence there is no problem regarding mangoes due to the quake," says a merchant.

Sheela Patel, a housewife, says her children are thrilled to find the season's first mangoes and hence the demand at home presently is huge. "My children are extremely fond of mangoes and they demand them everyday. This time's mangoes taste good and we all are looking forward to a good mango season," she says.

 

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