Farmers in Ratnagiri district, the mango hub of Maharashtra which produces around 275,000 tonnes of the famed Alphonso variety, have started approaching co-operative housing societies in Mumbai and other large cities across the state to book orders and supply in bulk directly to consumers.

The new system of mango supply has benefited both farmers and consumers due to eradication of the middlemen who normally extract huge margins in facilitating transactions. But now, farmers will earn at least 20-30 per cent more than they used to through agents. And the consumer also gets assured supply at rates lower than the market price.

“Mango farmers in Ratnagiri have started approaching co-operative housing societies individually to sell their produce directly. Over 180 farmers and 100 consumers have registered on our website. We only facilitate and don’t intervene in their bilateral transactions,” said Milind Joshi, General Manager, Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB), a unit of the government of Maharashtra for monitoring production and sale of agricultural produce in the state.

Identified as the hub of Alphonso mango in India, Ratnagiri district is currently producing the 'king of fruit; as it is popularly called, at only 50 per cent of its potential. Climate change, inadequate financial support, unavailability of pre- and post-harvest fruit care techniques and absence of organized retailing have seen farmers losing mango output gradually.

Read the full article here (Business Standard – 15^th April 2020)

Image by sarangib on Pixabay