37

CHAPTER – II

ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF MANGO PRODUCTION IN THE

INDIAN CONTEXT

2.1 INTRODUCTION

Mango, popularly known as “king of fruits” occupies a place of pride as it is

found to be the most delicious, exotic and nutritious fruit. It is used not only as a

dessert but also as a table fruit between meals. It is also processed for preparing a

host of products such as juices, pulps, squashes, nectars, jams, and pickles. India is

both the largest producer and consumer of mangoes in the world. It had gained

worldwide prominence as the country of mangoes in 2003 because in that

particular year its mango production reached 41 percent of the entire world

production. It has now an estimated annual production of about 12 million tones. It

has the pride of producing about 50 varieties of mangoes.

Domestication of mango probably started at different times and in different

places on the Indian subcontinent and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Mango

cultivated in India can be dated back to 4000 BC. Today the mango tree and its

fruit remain important Indian religious and cultural symbols. It is believed that

Portuguese is introduced vegetative propagation methods in India when they

established trading outposts along the west coast of India in the 15th century.

During the region of Akbar, the Great, the most important mango tree varieties

38

bearing fruits such as Alphonsa, Dashehari and Langara had been produced by

selective breading. Since then, these mango cultivators have been propagated

vegetative for several hundred years in India. But it is uncertain when cultivation

of polyembryonic mangoes originated in Southeast Asia. However, it was learned

from a linguist who analyzed the various common names for Mango in Southeast

Asia that polyembryonic mango was probably domesticated independently by

several indigenous cultures in this region. ‟Arumanis‟ in Indonesia and „carabao‟

in the Philippines were the traditional mango cultivators of South Asia.

2.2 THE TREE OF MANGO

Mango is one of the most productive tropical plants. It contains protein, fat,

carbohydrate, minerals, vitamins A, B, C, amino acids, resins, natural sugars, and

acids such as amino, citric, tartaric and malic acids. Its tree is believed to have

evolved as a canopy layer or emergent species of the tropical rainforest of

Southeast Asia. The trunk of the tree is covered by a dark grey, cracked bark, when

old. The young plant, to be sure, has a green outer skin called epidermis, like

annual herbs. Mature trees can attain a height of 40 meter or more and can survive

for several hundred years.

2.3 VALUES OF MANGO

The medical property of mango has been known since long throughout the

world. Almost all the parts of the plant are used as medicine in one way or other,

39

though we have known medicinal properties of mango since long.1 A fully ripe

mango is especially high in Vitamin A, which is considered a cancer-fighting

agent. It is also high in Vitamin C and is a good source fiber too. Green mangos

have more Vitamin C than Vitamin A. Mangoes are good for the kidney. Each part

of the mango has medicinal uses.

Ayurveda describes the properties of mango as heating, sweet to lightly sour,

balancing all dosha or defects. A hybrid mango that has no fibre is heavy to digest,

although it tastes better than one with fibre. Natural mangoes are smaller and

juicier than hybrids but both are combination of sweet and sour. The sweeter the

mango, the more easily it is digested and the more energy it provides. A sour

mango should never be eaten except in the form of amchur, or dried mango slices.

The following table shows the nutritional contents of mango.

1 Ram Prakash Srivastava (1998). Mango Cultivation, International Book Distributing Company, Lucknow,

p.7.

40

TABLE 2.1

NUTRITIONAL CONTENTS OF MANGO

S.No. Nutrients Green Mango Ripe Mango

1 Moisture (%) 87.5 - 90.0 81.0 - 86.1

2 Protein (%) 0.7 0.6

3 Fat (%) 0.1 0.4

4 Mineral (%) 0.4 0.3

5 Fibre (%) 1.2 0.7

6 Carbohydrate (%) 8.8 - 10.1 11.8 - 16.9

7 Calcium (mg per 100g) 0.01-10 0.01-14

8 Phosphorous (mg per 100g) 0.02-19 0.02-16

9 Iron (mg per 100g) 4.05-5.4 0.3-1.3

10 Carotene Vitamin A (IU) 90-150 2743-4800

11 Vitamin B1 (mg per 100g) 0.04 0.08

12 Vitamin B2 (mg per 100g) 0.01 0.09

13 Niacin (mg per 100g) 0.2 0.9

14 Riboflavin (mg per 100g) 30 50

15 Vitamin C (mg per 100g) 3 13-16

16 Magnesium (mg per 100g) 21 27

17 Sodium (mg per 100g) 43.0 26.0

18 Potassium (mg per 100g) 83 205

19 Copper (mg per 100g) 0.24 0.20

20 Sulphur (mg per 100g) 15 17

21 Chlorine (mg per 100g) 2 3

22 Calorie (mg per 100g) 39.44 50-74

23 Base Odin 40 67

Source: Indian Institute of Horticulture Research, 2004.

41

2.4 DISTRIBUTION OF MINERALS AND VITAMINS IN MANGO

Every mango fruit is rich with Minerals and Vitamins, Which the human

body needs to keep its health intact. It acts as one of the best dietary supplements

for man. It has 86 percent of water, 0.3 percent mineral salt, 0.01 percent Calcium

0.02 percent Phosphorus and 5 mg iron in its every 100 grams. Besides it contains

minerals such as Silica, Magnesium, Sodium, Zinc, Copper and Manganese. It also

becomes a wholesome and nourishing good because of its Vitamin C. Vitamin A

with a high concentration of beta Carotene and provitamin B1 and B2. If the mango

fruit is taken regularly, it will be of great benefit to man because of its Mineral and

Vitamin contents.

2.5 CULTIVATION PRACTICES IN INDIA

The standard of living of the people can be judged by production and

consumption of fruits.2 Mango, the world‟s most luscious fruit, has been

recognized as the „king of fruits‟ long back.3 Mangoes are perennial trees grown in

India in the States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal,

Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.4 There is

always a great demand for mango plants.

2 Bal, J.S (1997). Fruit Growing, Kalyani Publishers, Ludhiana, pp.8-9.

3 Room Singh and Sharma, R.R (2002). A Future for Mango Export, Journal of Indian Horticulture, April-

June, p.26. 4 Anand Singh, A and Srinivas, E (2000). Control of Leaf Webber in Mango, Kissan World, October, p.46.

42

2.5.1 Climate

Mango is a tropical fruit.5 It can be grown at a height of 1500 m above mean

sea level6 at a temperature as low as 0

o C and as high 45

o C. The ideal temperature

range for mango is 24-30o C during the growing season, along with high humidity.

Temperatures below 10o C and above 43

o C discourage growth. Temperature

affects the flowering time of mango trees. A cool and dry period generally is

essential for inducing flowering during winter, which slows mango growth in

regions of heavy rain falls.

2.5.2 Site Selection

Mango is found growing in several types of soils such as lateritic, alluvial

sandy loam and sandy soils. Although it grows very well in soils of high to

medium fertility, its cultivation can be successfully done in less fertile soils by

providing good management especially in the early stages. The loamy, alluvial,

well-drained and deep soils with a high percentage of humus are ideal for mango

cultivation.

2.5.3 Land Preparation

Land is ploughed, cross-ploughed and then leveled before preparatory tillage

and layout. The land is then leveled, thoroughly ploughed and divided with blocks

5 Chandha, K.L (2002). Hand Book of Horticulture, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi,

June, p.39 6 Atul Chandra and Anju Chandra (1996). Production and Post- Harvest Technology of Fruits, NBS

Publishers, Bikaner, p.86.

43

by positioning main and subsidiary roads. The planting distance varies according

to the vigour of the cultivars, fertility status of the soil and general growth and

conditions in the area. Where excessive growth of the tree is expected, a spacing of

12x12 m is suggested.

2.5.4 Planting

Planting should be done during the wet season while there is an adequate

supply of moisture for quick establishment of roots. While planting, the vigour and

growth pattern of the trees should be considered. Grafted trees tend to be shorter

than seedling trees. Generally, however, plants are spaced 20-25ft apart giving

approximately 75-100 trees per acre.

There are two planting seasons for mango namely spring and monsoon. The

best time for planting in the plains is during the monsoon when there is sufficient

humidity in the atmosphere. However, in heavy rainfall area the best time of

planting mango is at the end of the rainy season, whereas in tracts where the

rainfall is less, the planting can be done in the early part of the monsoon for better

establishment. The planting should be done in the cool hours of the evening. The

planting distance may vary according to variety, fertility level of the soils and

general growth conditions in the area. However, as most of the grafted fruit trees

develop medium tree stature, a spacing of 10x10 m will be enough for their proper

44

growth and development. The planting system adopted with the plant density is

presented in the following table.

TABLE 2.2

PLANTING SYSTEM IN MANGO CULTIVATION

Distance

between Plants

(ft)

Number of Plants per Hectare

Square System Hexagonal System Quincunx System

10 435 870 500

16 170 340 195

20 109 218 125

24 75 150 86

28 56 112 64

36 34 68 39

40 27 54 31

Source: Crop Production Technique of Horticultural Crops, Tamil Nadu

Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 2004.

It is clear from the above table that 870 is the maximum of plants planted per

hectare under the hexagonal system with the distance between 10 feet, whereas

only 27 plants are planted under the system of square with the distance between 40

feet. The number of mango grafts planted depends on the system that the farmers

have followed.

45

2.5.5 Irrigation

No watering is required during the monsoon except in the intervening spells

of dry weather. From the second year, during the winter, water may be given to the

young trees at intervals of a week and during the hot weather at intervals of four to

six days or even at shorter intervals depending upon the nature of the soil and

severity of the weather. After five years, the mango trees will grow and bear fruits

satisfactorily without irrigation in most parts of the country. Irrigation should be

stopped at least 2-3 months before flowering, because this period usually promotes

vegetative growth and adversely affects flowering.

2.5.6 Pruning

Pruning is the art of removing scientifically certain portion of a plant with a

view to producing superior quality of fruits. Pruning of any kind, according to its

severity, changes the nutritive condition within the tree. It has been reported that

pruning can be helpful in overcoming the problem of irregular bearing in mango.

2.5.7 Manuring

The application of manure and fertilizers to mango trees depends upon

factors such as climatic conditions, variety of mango trees planted and above all,

the nutrient status of the soil. It is recommended to get the soil tested at regular

intervals before giving a dose of fertilizer. Nitrogen is the most important nutrient

required. Regular applications of nitrogen promote healthy growth of flushes and

46

flower production especially if potash and phosphorus are present in sufficient

quantities. The fertilizer doses in mango cultivation are described in Table 2.3.

TABLE 2.3

FERTILIZER DOSES IN MANGO CULTIVATION

Manure 1 Year Old Annual Increase 6th

Year Onwards

FYM 10.00 10.00 50.00

N 0.20 0.20 1.00

P 0.20 0.20 1.00

K 0.30 0.30 1.50

Source: Crop Production Techniques of Horticultural Crops, 2004,

Directorate of Horticulture and Plantation Crops, Chennai.

From Table 2.3 it is clear that the fertilizer dose in mango cultivation is

based on the ages of mango grafts. It is also understood the for every mango tree,

from the date of its grafting to its completion of one year , the FYM 10kg only is

applied. From the beginning of its second year to the completion of its 5th

year

there is an annual increase of the same measure of the FMY 10kg. After the

beginning of its 6th

year the FYM is 50kg is annually applied. Along with the

FYM, the „N‟ „P‟ and „K‟ also applied to every tree annually. With regard to their

application, the table clearly shows that N 0.20kg, P 0.20kg and K 0.30kg are

applied from the beginning with the annual increase of the same measures for the

first five years. From the 6th

year the N 1kg, P 1kg, and K 1.50kg are applied with

47

the gradual increase of the same measure. This methodology of application is

followed until the completion of the 15th year of the tree.

2.5.8 Harvesting

Various non-destructive indices can be used to determine mango fruit

harvest maturity for the fresh market, including external color, size, changes in

appearance in the fruit shoulder area, and waxiness of the skin. Destructive indices

used for determining harvest maturity include internal pulp color and % soluble

solids content. Grower experience, which uses a combination of these indices, is

also a reliable way to determine when to harvest. The most obvious index of fruit

maturity is external skin color. As the fruit matures, the skin color will change

from green to yellow. Normally sized fruits which have started to turn yellow are

ripe and ready for immediate harvest.

The harvested fruits should first be graded according to size and appearance,

although this is not the usual practice. Ripe fruits and damaged fruits of relatively

poor quality are usually retained for local markets and better types are packed for

distant places. Proper packaging is an essential pre-requisite for maintaining good

appearance and quality of the produce on reaching the marketing centers. The most

common practice in Western India is to pack the fruits in bamboo baskets of 50 to

100 fruits capacity. The mango is a climatic fruit and unless the fruits are stored

properly, one cannot be sure of the condition in which the fruits will reach the

48

desired market. Proper storage is absolutely essential during the year of the glut.

Studies have shown that mango fruits can be stored successfully for about 4 to 7

weeks at the temperature of 3.0 to 8.9 C.

2.6 MANGO PRODUCTION IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT

2.6.1 Area under Cultivation of Mango in India

The major mango growing states in India are Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra

Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka. Uttar Pradesh is known for growing a

host of varieties of mangoes which are not found elsewhere. The other important

mango states in the country are Goa, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab,

Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The region wise popular varieties grown in different

parts of the country are Alphonso and Kesar from Western India, Banganapalli,

Totapuri and Neelam from southern states, Fazli from Eastern States and Langra,

Chausa and Dusheri from Northern States.

India, by virtue of its varying agro climatic condition, is highly conducive

for production of large varieties of fruits. It has produced over 32 million tonnes of

fruits against the global production of 350 million tonnes. Mango is grown in

almost all parts of India. The fruit covers about 39 per cent of area and accounts for

23.1 per cent total production of total fruits in the country, which is highest in the

world with India‟s share of about 46 per cent. The eleven States namely Uttar

Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu,

49

Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharastra Share the major portion of

mango production. The area under mango cultivation in India for a period of 10

years from 1999-2000 to 2008-09 are presented in the following table.

TABLE 2.4

AREA UNDER MANGO CULTIVATION IN INDIA

Year Area (In ‘000 hectares)

1999-00 1486.90

2000-01 1519.00

2001-02 1575.80

2002-03 1623.40

2003-04 1906.70

2004-05 1970.40

2005-06 2080.70

2006-07 2153.70

2007-08 2201.00

2008-09 2309.00

Source: National Horticulture Board.

It could be observed from the above table that there has been a steady

expansion of land under mango cultivation in India during the years from 1999-

2000 to 2008-09. The area under mango cultivation in India has been the highest in

2008-09 and the lowest in 1999-2000. The area under mango cultivation has gone

50

up from 1486.90 thousand hectares in 1999-2000 to 2309.00 thousand hectares in

2008-09.

2.6.2 Mango Production in India

Table 2.5 shows the mango production in India for a period of 10 years from

1999-2000 to 2008-09.

TABLE 2.5

PRODUCTION OF MANGO IN INDIA

Year Production (in’000 MT)

1999-00 10503.50

2000-01 10056.80

2001-02 10020.20

2002-03 12733.20

2003-04 11490.00

2004-05 11829.70

2005-06 12663.10

2006-07 13734.10

2007-08 13997.00

2008-09 12750.00

Source: National Horticulture Board.

As the table shows there has been an erratic change in the production of

mango in India during the years from 1999-2000 to 2008-09. The production of

mango has decreased from 10503.50 metric tonnes in 1999-2000 to 10020.20

51

metric tonnes in 2001-02. The production of mango has gone up from 11490.00

metric tonnes in 2003-04 to 13997.00 metric tonnes in 2007-08. Over the 10 years,

there has been a highest production in the year 2007-08 registering 13997.00

metric tonnes.

2.6.3 Production of Mango in India

India is the largest producer of mango in the world, but its production is very

low compared to other mango growing countries. The reasons for low productivity

are non-availability of high yielding varieties, irregular bearing, incidence of pests

and diseases, unscientific method of planting, irrigation and the like. Post-

infestations in mango cause losses to farmers.

TABLE 2.6

PRODUCTIVITY OF MANGO IN INDIA

Year Productivity (In MT/HA)

1999-00 7.10

2000-01 6.60

2001-02 6.40

2002-03 7.80

2003-04 6.00

2004-05 6.00

2005-06 6.10

2006-07 6.40

2007-08 6.40

2008-09 5.50

Source: National Horticulture Board.

52

From Table 2.6, it could be inferred that the productivity of mango in India

has fluctuations showing largely an erratic trend. The productivity of mango per

hectare has strongly decreased from 7.10 metric tonnes per hectare in 1999-2000 to

6.40 metric tonnes per hectare in 2001-02. It has also productivity of mango had

strongly decreased from 7.80 metric tonnes per hectare in 2002-03 to 6.00 metric

tonnes per hectare 2004-05. But it has gone up from 6.10 metric tonnes per hectare

in 2005-06 to 6.40 metric tonnes per hectare in 2007-08. Over the 10 years, there

has been a highest productivity in the year 2002-03 registering 7.8 metric tonnes

per hectare.

2.7 AREA UNDER MANGO CULTIVATION IN TAMIL NADU

Tamil Nadu is one of the largest mango cultivation centers in India. It

occupies sixth position under mango cultivation compared to other States of India.

The major mango growing districts in Tamil Nadu are Salem, Dharmapuri,

Krishnagiri, Madurai, Dindigul, Theni, Thiruvalluvar and Vellore. The area under

mango cultivation in Tamil Nadu is presented in Table 2.7.

53

TABLE 2.7

AREA UNDER MANGO CULTIVATION IN TAMIL NADU

Year Area (in’000 Hectare)

1999-00 107.90

2000-01 111.50

2001-02 110.80

2002-03 112.00

2003-04 114.90

2004-05 118.40

2005-06 125.10

2006-07 135.10

2007-08 136.60

2008-09 148.80

Source: National Horticulture Board.

It could be observed from this table there has been a study expansion of area

covered under mango cultivation since 1990-2000. But there is one exception in

2001-2002 during which there has been a slight fall in the area covered. As per the

table, the area covered during 2008-2009 stands as the highest, because the total

area comes to 148.80 thousand hectares. However the area covered during 1999-

2000 is less than that of the year of all the years of the table. Hence the year 1999-

2000 record the lowest, because the area comes to only 107.90 thousand hectares.

54

2.7.1 Mango Production in Tamil Nadu

Mango, the king of the fruits happens to be an attractive farm growing

occupation in Tamil Nadu, since Tamil Nadu enjoys the requisite climatic

condition for growing this fruit. Therefore, Tamil Nadu has occupied 6th rank in

dimension of area under this fruit cultivation. The production of mango in Tamil

Nadu is exhibited in the following table.

TABLE 2.8

PRODUCTION OF MANGO IN TAMIL NADU

Year Production (in Metric Tonnes)

2004-05 539.40

2005-06 537.80

2006-07 580.50

2007-08 753.60

Source: Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2406, Dated 15.12.2008.

From the above table it could be inferred that there has been an erratic

change in the production of mango in Tamil Nadu during the years from 2004-05

to 2007-08. The production of mango has decreased from 539.40 metric tonnes in

2004-05 to 537.80 metric tonnes in 2005-06. The production of mango has gone up

from 537.80 metric tonnes in 2005-06 to 753.60 metric tonnes in 2007-08. Over

the years, there has been a highest production in the year 2007-08 registering

753.60 metric tonnes.

55

2.7.2 Production of Mango in Tamil Nadu

As per world production, India has ranked second in production of fruits and

vegetables after China. In fruits, India stands first in the global production of

mangoes and banana, fourth in guava, fifth in pine apple, sixth in oranges, tenth in

apples and seventh in grapes. The average yield of mango in metric tonnes in

Tamil Nadu is presented in the following table.

TABLE 2.9

PRODUCTIVITY OF MANGO IN TAMIL NADU

Year Productivity

(in MT per Hectare)

1999-00 6.50

2000-01 6.60

2001-02 4.00

2002-03 6.80

2003-04 5.40

2004-05 4.60

2005-06 4.30

2006-07 4.30

2007-08 5.50

2008-09 5.50

Source: National Horticulture Board.

56

From the above table it could be inferred that the productivity of mango in

Tamil Nadu had has erratic change during the years from 1999-2000 to 2008-09.

The productivity of mango per hectare has strongly decreased from 6.80 metric

tonnes per hectare in 2002-03 to 4.30 metric tonnes per hectare in 2006-07. Over

the years, there has been a highest productivity in the year 2002-03 registering 6.80

metric tonnes per hectare.

2.8 MANGO CULTIVATION IN SALEM DISTRICT

No wonder, Salem is called the „mango city‟ because by now, the mangoes

are being exported worldwide. Manufacturers and marketers of the Mango fruits

make a thriving and profitable business as ripe mangoes that are rich in variety and

taste are sold across in and around Tamil Nadu. Many agricultural products from

Salem have a wide spread market throughout the country. Mango fruits from

Salem are enjoyed and much sought after, specially the variety Malgova, which is

the pride of Salem besides a number of other newly introduced hybrid varieties.

57

2.8.1 Area under Mango Cultivation in Salem District

The area under mango cultivation in Salem district is presented in Table

2.10.

TABLE 2.10

AREA UNDER MANGO CULTIVATION IN SALEM DISTRICT

Year Area (in Hectare)

2004-05 4742

2005-06 5374

2006-07 6312

2007-08 7018

2008-09 7966

Source: District Agricultural Office, Salem.

From the above table it is inferred that there has been a steady increase in the

area covered under mango cultivation in Salem district. This area as the table shoes

has been the highest in 2008-09 and the lowest in 2004-05. But this area has gone

up from 4742 hectares in 2004-05 to 7966 hectares in 2008-09.

58

2.8.2 Mango Production in Salem District

The production of mango in Salem district is exhibited in the following

table.

TABLE 2.11

PRODUCTION OF MANGO IN SALEM DISTRICT

Year Production (in Tonnes)

2004-05 24886

2005-06 27994

2006-07 47718

2007-08 53336

2008-09 63728

Source: District Agricultural Office, Salem.

From the above table it could be inferred that there has been an increase in

the production of mango in Salem district during the period from 2004-05 to 2008-

09. The production of mango has increased from 24886 tonnes in 2004-05 to

63728 tonnes in 2008-09. Over the years, there has been a highest production in

the year 2008-09 registering 63728 tonnes.

59

2.8.3 Production of Mango in Salem District

The average yield of mango in metric tonnes per hectare in Salem district is

presented in the following table for a period of 5 years from 2004-05 to 2008-09.

TABLE 2.12

PRODUCTION OF MANGO IN SALEM DISTRICT

Year Productivity

(in MT per Hectare)

2004-05 5.248

2005-06 5.248

2006-07 7.560

2007-08 7.600

2008-09 8.000

Source: District Agricultural Office, Salem.

From Table 2.12 it is inferred that the productivity of mango in Salem

district has showed an increasing trend during the years from 2004-05 to 2008-09,

because its productivity per hectare has greatly increased from 5.248 metric tonnes

per hectare in 2004-05 to 8.00 metric tonnes per hectare in 2008-09. There has

been a highest productivity in the year 2008-09 registering 8.00 metric tonnes per

hectare.

60

2.9 MANGO MARKETING PRACTICES

The mango, a fruit that originated in India, has admirers all over the globe.

Mango undoubtedly deserves to be the national fruit of India. In area of

production, nutritive value and popularity, no other fruit can compete with it. Its

cultivation in India dates back to 6000 years old. The most important mango

cultivars of India are Alphonso, Dashehari, and Langra and have therefore been

propagated vegetative for several hundred years.

There is a wide disparity in the prices of standing crop from place to place

and even from year to year in the same area and from one orchard to another. It is

mainly due to the irregular bearing habit of mango trees. Mango prices vary

depending upon each year‟s total production and various other factors like

prevailing prices, demand, marketing facilities, middlemen activities, cooling, cost

of transportation from the farm to the market, etc. Wholesale prices of mangoes

also vary considerably, depending upon the supply and demand of particular

varieties, periods of availability, weather conditions, transport facilities, quality,

etc. Daily arrivals have also a direct bearing on the prices. Thus, the fluctuations in

prices are consistently irregular in pattern. Ordinarily, however, the prices are

higher at the commencement of the season, declining gradually as the supplies

increase. Later on, when the arrivals decrease, they tend to recover and reach a

high level again before the close of the season.

61

Advertising of mango in the local market seldom occurs. It is done by road

side sellers indirectly through their sales. Recently, however, an annual mango

festival has been held by the Horticulture Department where advertisements for all

kinds of mango have been made. Their advertisements have also included the items

pertaining to Mango such as mango seeds, Mango plants and Juice are included

seeds, fruits, small plants, and juice.

Middlemen and brokers play a great role in the mango trade. Most of them

play a very passive role in the mango market because it leads to the increase of the

price by raising the farmers‟ prices for their own benefit. In the study area, the

mango marketing has moved from the producer and then the seller to the

consumers through market intermediaries. The mango captures the markets,

streets, roadsides and homes during the summer months of April-July. As

producers do not generally undertake wholesale distribution, it is a common

practice to lease out the orchards to pre-harvest contractors who take care of watch

and ward of the crop till maturity and then dispose the produce as it suits them. The

contractors are obliged to sell the produce through the leading commission agents.

Sometimes they dispose the produce directly to wholesalers or retailers.

Commission agents also include the forwarding agents who own the responsibility

of proper packaging and transit. They are the most important link in the marketing

of mango and about two thirds of the total market is controlled by these agents.

62

They are located in both the assembling and consumption centers. At some places,

they not only sell fruits on commission basis but also transact wholesale business

on their own account.

A very few co-operative societies exist in mango producing areas. In Uttar

Pradesh, the premier mango producing state, there is no such society. There are a

few societies in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra, which purchase the

farmers‟ produce and transport it to distant markets through the commission

agents. The marketing of mango in Gujarat is mostly done by co-operative

societies, of which all the growers and commission agents are members. These

societies advance about 50% of the cost to the grower and the balance is cleared

immediately after his produce is sold. The mango sale societies in Maharashtra are

also functioning well. They collect the produce of their members and send it for

sale to the commission agents at Mumbai. In Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh,

there are 10 co-operative societies for marketing of mangoes, whereas Bihar has

only 2 fruit growers associations. Karnataka is quite behind in numbers with only

the Mysore Horticulture Society to help the marketing of fruits. The retail

distribution is done by growers, contractors, commission agents and wholesalers,

stallholders, shopkeepers and hawkers in varying degrees. The following table

shows the peak mango marketing season of the major mango producing countries.

63

2.10 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

China has opened its market for import of Indian mangoes including the

Alphonso variety. India has thus become one of the first countries to export its

world famous mangoes to China under a bilateral agreement. The Indian export of

mangoes to China has become possible with the two governments signing the

protocol of phyto-sanitary requirements for exporting mangoes. As part of the

agreement, China has agreed to import 17 types of fruits and vegetables from

India. Under the agreement, India will ensure that the mangoes are free of pests

and issue an official phyto-sanitary certificate. The picking and packing of

mangoes for export to China will be subject to strict quarantine supervision. As

part of India‟s efforts to export mangoes to China, APEDA promotes other by-

products of mangoes like mango squashes, jam, mango juice, etc. into the country.

A couple of Indian restaurants in Beijing and Shanghai would be roped in to serve

mango dishes and curries so as to popularize Indian mangoes.

Under the FTP (2004-09), a host of incentives have been given to boost

agri-exports. These inter alia include duty-free import of capital goods under the

Export Promotion Capital Goods Scheme, Duty credit scrip equivalent to 5 per

cent of the f.o.b. value of exports, and the launching of Vishesh Krishi Upaj

Yojana which is aimed at promoting agri-exports, viz. vegetables, fruits, flowers,

minor forest produce, etc. The Karnataka Government is planning to establish agro

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export zones for mango in order to encourage farmers to produce export quality

mangoes in the state. According to the estimates of Karnataka Government

Department of Horticulture, the state has nearly 1.18 lakh hectares under mango

cultivation with an annual production of around 11 lakh tonnes. Over 20 varieties

of mangoes are grown in Karnataka. Though Karnataka grows export quality

mangoes, the State‟s share in mango exports from India is very meager.

TNT Express, a leading global provider of express delivery services,

logistics supply chain solutions and mail services has recently commenced its

“Mango Bytes” service through which Alphonso mangoes can be sent across

international boundaries. The service available for over 35 countries saves the

exporters the hassles of procuring, packing and shipping the mangoes in perfect

condition. The TNT has also designed the mango packs with air ventilators. An

“Indian Mango Fair” was held in Singapore sometime in the month of June 2005.

The Fair was organized by The Agriculture and Processed Food Export

Development Authority (APEDA) in association with NTUC. During the week

long fair, Bengal‟s popular varieties such as Langra, Himsagar, Dussehri, Malda,

Amrapali, Banganpali and Chausa were made available for sale and sampling at

the different outlets.

From the data for the year 2003-04, it is to state that exports of mango

chutneys and mango pickles have been clubbed with the Head “Others: H.S. Code:

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2001.09.9909. These items being prominent, there is need to have separate codes

for these items. Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics and

Directorate General of Foreign Trade may consider keeping the status quo. The

Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board with the help of APEDA has

recently set up a Vapour Heat Treatment plant at Vashi near Mumbai to treat the

fruit fly problem in fresh fruits for exports to Japan, Australia, USA and other

countries. In continuation with the ongoing efforts to promote Indian mangoes and

mango-based products in the world, APEDA organized a variety of overseas

mango promotion programmes in many countries. These campaigns had mainly

focused on introducing commercial varieties of mangoes produced in the Northern

and eastern parts of the country like Chausa, Langra, Dussehri. The countries

where these promotional campaigns were organized include Qatar, UAE and

China.