June 7: Mango farmers and traders are in trouble due to the disruption of market by the current lockdown. Due to the lockdown imposed by the government for the prevention and control of the coronavirus, the mango farmers and traders are have problem regarding the easy access to the market. 

The season of harvesting varieties of mangoes has already started in Nepal. However, the farmers are facing problems due to the lack of market this year.

Chief of Siraha Agricultural Knowledge Center Kisun Dev Raut said that mangoes produced this year could not find a good market due to the lockdown. Under normal circumstances, the farmers would take their mangoes to the local market and sell the product themselves. 

However, he complained that the local markets have been closed due to the lockdown. Since the fruit shops are open only in the morning and evenings, he said that there is no environment to sell their produce easily. 

Mangoes are cultivated in about 15,600 hectors of land in Siraha and Saptari districts only. According to Siraha Agricultural Knowledge Center, the production has also decreased as compared to last year, due to hailstorm. 

Last year, 15 to 20 metric tons of mangoes were produced per hectare in these two districts, but this year the production has decreased to 5.5 metric tons per hectare. On one hand the production has decreased, and on the other hand the farmers have not been able to sell their produce in the market. 

The main markets for mango produced in districts including Siraha, and Saptari are Kathmandu, Chitwan, Itahari, Pokhara, Hetauda and other major cities. However, due to the lockdown, the market is not functioning well and the traders from those cities are not demanding large quantities of mangoes either. 

The price of mango and litchi increases 

Due to the declining production and poor supply management, the prices of mangoes and litchis have increased compared to last year. Like mango, litchi farmers and businessmen have said that the production of litchi is unsatisfactory this year. 

Chief of Kuleshwor Fruit Market Development Committee, Amar Baniya, said that the supply of litchis from Jhapa, Dhading, Nawalpur and other districts has decreased due to the decline in litchi production this year. He said that not only the supply of Nepali litchi, the supply of Indian litchi has also decreased. 

According to the price list of the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market Development Committee, the average wholesale price of Malda mango was Rs 85 per kg at this time last year, but this year the price has gone up to Rs 150. Similarly, the price of Calcutta mango was Rs 60 per kg last year but now it has reached Rs 125 per kg. 

Likewise, the price of litchi has doubled in comparison to last year. As per the price list of the development committee, the price of litchi has also increased to Rs 310 per kg this year. Last year, it was Rs 145 per kg. It is said that the production has decreased this year due to hailstorm.