No fervour for mango mela, farmers report huge losses 

A video grab of mango farmers protesting in Lalbagh Botanical Garden over the weekend against the Mango Board and Horticulture Department. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Mango mela in Lalbagh Botanical Garden has always been a much-awaited event for mango lovers in Bengaluru as well as farmers. But this year, farmers have resorted to throwing away the fruits and dumping them in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) compactors as a sign or protest alleging poor publicity for the event which led to fewer footfalls. 

Mango mela is organised by the Horticulture Department and the Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation (KSMDMC) every year to provide customers a chance to buy directly from mango farmers. This year, the mela was inaugurated on May 30 and is coming to an end on June 23. While the duration of the mela is three weeks in total, farmers, who have set up around 80 stalls say that very few consumers have turned up this year.  

“Mango Board organised mango mela this year and gave it zero publicity. Now farmers are facing huge losses. We are throwing away fruits which could have otherwise brought us money. They have put on a show for the sake of it, but failed to inform anyone about it,” said Bhaskara, a mango farmer from Kolar district.   

The farmers threatened to protest against the Horticulture Department if steps are not taken to publicise the event and bring in more business. “Unlike all the previous years, this year we see no publicity nor footfall. We take care of our mangoes like children from the flowering stage till they ripen and now, because of the neglect of the government, we are facing such losses. We already lost tonnes of fruits to weather vagaries this year and now this,” said Jagadish Reddy, another mango farmer. 

Officials of the Horticulture Department acknowledged that the footfall was less than the previous years but denied any claims of not publicising the event. 

“We have given announcements in the media and radio about the mango mela. The problem this time was the quality of fruits and the availability of mangoes everywhere in the city. In places like Jayamahal Road, there are so many seller stalls that it almost feels like a mela in itself. The farmers, understandably considering their logistical costs, fix their own prices which are slightly higher than the prices in other mango stalls. That combined with rain resulted in slightly less footfall,” explained Ramesh. D.S., director, Horticulture Department. 

Mango farmers have been protesting for a few days now especially after the prices of totapuri variety fell to as little as ₹4 per kg. They have been demanding support price from the government. 

“Mango farmers are suffering so much this year and the Horticulture Minister is nowhere to be seen. The government has managed to break the back of the farmers who are called the backbone of the nation. First there was no support price and now this is the state of mango mela. We will have to take up huge protests if our demands are not met,” said Neelaturu Chinnappa Reddy, president, president, Kolar District Mango Growers’ Association. 

Mr. Ramesh said that a proposal regarding the support price for totapuri has been sent to the government which will make the final decision.  

Published - June 16, 2025 09:42 pm IST