Mango lovers will have to shell out a little more this year. Though the crop is in a much better state in the orchards of Krishna district, especially in the Nuzvid region, compared to last year, crop failure in other districts in the state will spike the demand and price of Nuzvid mango variety. Krishna district is home to one of the best mango varieties (Bangenapalli and Chinna rasalu) that are exported in huge quantities to other parts of the country and also abroad. In Krishna, mango orchards spread over 70,000 hectares, including 24,000 hectares in Nuzvid region. Speaking to TOI, assistant director, Horticulture department, Nuzvid, Ch Srinivasulu said the weather condition had helped mango production in Krishna district but had bitten into production in Rayachoti (Kadapa), Prakasam, Chittoor and Vizianagaram districts. The average yield in the current season is over 5.5 tons per acre in Nuzvid region. The current rate of the Nuzvid mango is anywhere between Rs 60,000 and Rs 65,000 per tonne. The price of the mango is likely to decrease to around Rs 35,000 per tonne in the peak mango season (April and May), Srinivasulu added. In Vijayawada, the price of popular varieties of the mango (Bangenapalli, Totapuri, Rasalu) was ranged anywhere between Rs 400 and Rs 800 a dozen in the last season. Traders who export the fruit from Nunna Mango Market in Vijayawada to other parts of the state and country said mango lovers will have to pay more than last season to relish the fruit this year. Compared to the previous year, mango yield in Krishna district has increased around 20 percent in the current season. If a majority of the crop in Krishna district is diverted to other areas due to demand, there will be little left to meet the local demand, said D Dayakar Babu, assistant director of Horticulture, Krishna district. "We relish the resale variety of mango. If the price of mango is beyond the reach, we will cut down the quantity of purchase," says K Sangeeta, a resident of Vijayawada. The price of raw mango is around Rs 50, which is quite high this year. With the high prices of mango, many people can't afford to buy raw mangoes to prepare pickle, she added. Source - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com