Lower yield, higher price: Mango lovers in K’taka warned by govt officials to be ready for shortage
Bengaluru: The people of Karnataka, who go gaga over the King of Fruits every summer, have been warned by concerned officials to be ready to go home from the market with lighter bags as well as emptier purses.
The state witnessed severe hailstorms and also untimely rains during the flowering stage of the mango crop, which has hit the mango harvest in Karnataka. While the state produced as high as 13-14 lakh metric tonnes of mango in 2025, it has managed to grow only 9-10 lakh metric tonnes this year, reports Deccan Herald.
As an outcome, the price of the crop has reportedly gone sky-high, increasing by 20 to 25 per cent compared to last year.
Speaking about the fall in yield, officials of the Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation Limited are learned to have attributed the dip to a combination of unseasonal rainfall, persistent humidity, cloudy weather and sudden pest infestations that triggered massive fruit drops, affecting exports as well as the local supply chain.
Prominent mango-growing areas in Karnataka, like Ramanagar, Kolar and Srinivasapur in Kolar district, famed for the premium Alphonso (Badami) variety, have been greatly affected.
Vendors at present are purchasing the fruit at a rate of Rs 180-200 per kg, with retailers selling it to customers at Rs 250 to 300 a kg.
Some varieties are still available for customers and Bengaluru is expected to get a batch from Ramanagar in about a week’s time.
While the annual ‘Mango Mela’, which is held every year at Lalbagh, is expected to be held in the third week of May, officials have warned that organising the event might prove more expensive this year. As a result, Bengaluru might witness a ‘Mango Mela’ on a smaller scale at Cubbon Park, a smaller venue.
General Manager of HOPCOMS, Jayaprakash, is learned to have said that the yield this year was just about 50 per cent of the usual amount, which has caused a sky-rocketing of the rates.
He is further reported to have confirmed that, compared to last season, prices had jumped by 20 to 25 per cent, adding that, as it is still early in the season, a marginal price drop of 5 to 10 per cent might be seen after a week.
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16 workers injured in major fire at chemical factory in Gujarat's Bharuch
Jhagadia (Bharuch) (PTI): At least 16 workers were injured after a massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Gujarat's Bharuch district on Thursday afternoon, officials said.
The blaze erupted around 1 pm at Metropolitan Eximchem Pvt Ltd, located in the Jhagadia Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) area, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ajay Meena said.
At least 16 workers suffered injuries and were admitted to nearby hospitals for treatment. No fatalities have been reported so far, he said.
Emergency response teams and local police personnel rushed to the site after being alerted about the incident. Fire tenders and ambulances are also stationed at the spot, Meena said.
Efforts to douse the fire are still underway, he added.
In addition to the fire brigade personnel from Jhagadia, two fire tenders from the disaster prevention and management centre in Ankleshwar were deployed to assist in controlling the blaze, an official added.
Visuals from the scene showed thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky, visible from a considerable distance.
