Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Feb 4: The king of fruits has arrived early in local markets this year, rolling in from neighbouring states and delighting both traders and mango lovers. Among the first varieties to appear are Neelam, priced at around Rs 200 per kg, Sindoora at Rs 180 per kg, and the highly sought-after Ratnagiri Alphonso, commanding a premium of about Rs 260 per kg.

“This is only the start of the season. Supplies are expected to pick up gradually in the coming weeks,” said local fruit vendor Nisar Nandihaldi, pointing to fuller stalls ahead.

While early-season mangoes are already attracting buyers, anticipation is building for Goa’s own GI-tagged mancurad mango, widely regarded as the pride of the state. Social media buzzed this week with claims that a single mancurad mango was sold for as much as Rs 600, or over Rs 7,000 per dozen. Farmers, however, were quick to brush aside such reports, calling them exaggerated and not reflective of actual market prices.

Growers are largely upbeat about the season, citing favourable weather conditions over the past few months. Rainfall tapered off by October, followed by a short cold spell in December and then warmer conditions — a sequence considered ideal for mango flowering.

“We had a proper dry spell, some cold days in December, and thankfully no unseasonal rain so far,” said farmer Nestor Rangel. “This kind of weather stresses the trees just enough to encourage good flowering.”

Compared to last year, Goa experienced relatively cooler winter days, which farmers believe has led to abundant flowering across mango orchards. As a result, expectations of higher yields are running high.

With arrivals set to increase steadily, traders believe consumers will soon see a wider selection of mangoes — and possibly softer prices — as the season gathers momentum. “As supply improves, availability will be better and prices should become more reasonable,” said vendor Saju Shaikh.