Recently, cyclone Tauktae has wrecked many Gir kesar mango orchards. On top of this, the Kutchi kesar, another mango variety that arrives a month after kesar season, is also set to get dearer. Wholesalers are offering higher prices to Kutch farmers this year to procure their produce. According to farmers, traders are offering 30% more price compared to last year as they have not been able to sell enough Gir Kesar this time.
Every year, Kutchi kesar floods the markets a month after Gir Kesar production starts waning. One grower, with 11,000 mango trees in Desalpar village, said: “Traders are aggressively inquiring about the mango ever since the cyclone in Saurashtra. The demand has increased 25% compared to the same period last year.”
A trader in Kutch, who supplies mangoes to most big cities in Gujarat, told timesofindia.indiatimes.com: “This year, demand for Kutch kesar is huge due to damage to Gir mangoes. We are offering better prices to farmers to procure in bulk.”
Kutch’s kesar’s harvesting starts a month after Gir’s and it will be plucked between June 1 and June10. The taste is slightly different but mango lovers appreciate its sweetness. Kutch also felt the effect of the cyclone and nearly 10% of the crop was damaged.