Karnataka exports first shipment of Totapuri and Neelam mangoes to Maldives

At a time when farmers in Kolar district in Karnataka are hit by low prices for Totapuri mango variety and suffering losses, around one metric tonne of Neelam and Totapuri variety were exported to Maldives.

The shipment was flagged off by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, on July 30.

A senior officer from APEDA’s regional office in Bengaluru said, “Earlier, these varieties were exported from Andhra Pradesh and Chittoor. For the first time, the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, along with APEDA head office, took personal interest to flag off the harvest from Karnataka to Maldives.”

He added, “APEDA has played an important role in exporting many GI tag products, including vegetables, fruits and millets, to various countries. Likewise, this is the first-ever air shipment of Neelam and Totapuri mangoes overseas.”

The official appreciated the exporters for paying a good price to farmers. “Totapuri, which yields ₹3 to ₹4 per kg in the local market, got ₹30 per kg, while Neelam fruit earned ₹72 per kg, which is a good price in comparison to the local market where it is available for ₹30 per kg. Though it is not a huge quantity, farmers have been paid well,” he said.

Ashwini A., a entrepreneur and director of Ahalya Devi Ventures, that was involved in exporting these mangoes, said, “I started the company one month ago. This is the first shipment exported from our company. Keeping various quality parameters assigned by APEDA in focus, these mangoes were selected so that we get a positive response from importers. Positive feedback can help farmers export more mangoes next year since the season has ended now.”

Abhishek Reddy, whose farm delivered the mangoes that were chosen to be exported, told The Hindu, “This year, farmers, including me, have undergone huge losses by growing Totapuri. Fortunately, my 12-acre farm has multiple varieties, including Neelam, Totapuri, and Mallika. I was able to recover 50% of the losses through export. The local government must take the initiative to export Totapuri mangoes from Karnataka to other countries. This is the last hope for farmers in Kolar district. Farmers will be able to earn double the price than what they earn in local markets.”