SAMBALPUR: In order to provide marketing linkage for locally grown king of fruits, the district administration has decided to set up a ‘Mango Bazaar’ for mango growers. The market will open on May 25 and continue till June 15.
In a first, Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) and Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM), along with district horticulture office, have teamed up for introducing the marketing facility for mangoes this season for the benefit of both growers and consumers. The project aims at providing a platform to mango growers in the district, who fail to market their produce, to supply high grade fruits to consumers.
After scripting success last year by supplying 90 quintals of mango grown in the region to Mother Dairy in New Delhi, ORMAS has started looking for better varieties of yields this year. Several farmers, who produce quality mangoes, did not participate in the process last year. Later, they failed to market their fruits leading to distress sale.
Assistant Director of ORMAS, Sambalpur, Srimanta Hota said mangoes in different orchards are graded. Mother Dairy then chooses to buy only Grade A mangoes. Grade B &C mangoes are left out. Though these two grades of mangoes are not much different from Grade A, farmers do not get buyers and fail to get a good price, he said.
ORMAS then came up with the idea of setting up a market where these farmers can sell their produce to local buyers. The Horticulture department has been roped in to assist in mobilising farmers for Mango Bazaar. Some of the best varieties of mangoes, such as Amrapalli, Dussheri, Mallika and even a few varieties of Alphanso, are grown in the region.
During a meeting held at the office of Deputy Director of Horticulture (DHH) recently, around 70 farmers from Rengali, Dhankuada, Kuchhinda, Jujomura and Jamankira blocks participated.
Though a suitable location for the market is yet to be finalised, the team has decided to set up 15 stalls which will be allotted free of cost to the farmers, besides storage facilities. Farmers can participate in the market with prior intimation to the DHH.
While this will solve the problem of distress sale in the region, Hota claimed that locals can buy best quality Grade B and C mangoes at a price less than the market price. This year, around 200 quintals of mango will be supplied to Mother Dairy. Reliance Fresh has also decided to buy mangoes from Sambalpur this year, he said.