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Summer is not only mango season in India, but also the time for many mango festivals across the country that showcase every region’s best mango varieties. One such vibrant mango festival in Bangalore is the mango Utsav held at the MES Ground in Jayanagar. Held for four days, this mango festival provides local mango growers the opportunity to present the best varieties of locally grown mangoes to mango enthusiasts in the region.
This year, the Mango Utsav 2023 was held at the MES Ground in Jayanagar between 15 June and 18 June, 2023. A beautiful array of 10 mango varieties was presented to mango lovers by 20 esteemed mango growers from the region. All 20 mango growers are registered with the Karnataka Mango Development and Marketing Board.
The most popular mango varieties displayed at the Mango Utsav 2023 at MES Ground Jayanagar included Alphonso, Mallika and Banganpalli. Some stalls at the mango fair also offered many local mango delicacies such as mango jalebi, mango holige, mango buns, and more. The prices for these amazing mangoes ranged from Rs50 to Rs200 per kilo, and farmers considered these prices to be reasonable and generate more sales during the Mango Utsav.
"Although the yield has dropped to 35% this year, there is no shortage of fruits due to a drastic decline in exports. The prices are not significantly different from last year," said Satish Kumar, a mango grower from Koratagere, Tumakuru district told the Deccan Herald. Many mango farmers from the region are attributing the extended mango season in 2023 to climate change.
"Normally, flowering occurs twice a year, but this year we have observed three rounds of flowering, and a few trees are even flowering for the fourth time. The conventional mango flowering season is in November and December when the weather remains moderate. However, this year, we only experienced 5-8 days of moderate weather conditions instead of the usual 20-30 days. The mango board needs to organise workshops to guide us in dealing with these situations," Syed javed, another mango grower told Deccan Herald.
A source from the mango board reportedly said that the Mango Utsav 2023 held at MES Ground Jayanagar has given local mango growers a great opportunity to interact with urban citizens and sell their produce without any intermediaries. As for the climate change issue and how it impacts Karnataka’s mango growers, the source said, "We have an advisory committee that issues precautionary measures and guidelines for growers, but the weather remains highly unpredictable."
