Lockdown, labour exodus dampen mango trade in Maharashtra, Gujarat

Export to European countries negligible; shipments to Gulf fall 40-50%

The supply chain disruption amid the lockdown and the exodus of labourers to their native states have dealt a severe blow to the already subdued market prospects of mango in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Although Maharashtra is not a big producer like UP, Bihar, and southern states, alphonso is the most premium and sought-after variety  from the state’s Ratnagiri district.

With the annual mango season peaking in these two western states, the lockdown restrictions on the smooth interstate movement of goods, coupled with the exodus of labourers working at mango orchards and packing houses, are staring in the face of growers