A tale of sweet and tangy mangoes in Hyderabad

A tale of mangoes sold in Hyderabad markets, where are the fruits sourced from, the competition between traditional vendors and online giants, concerns over calcium carbide, revival of lesser-known varieties, and sentimental connections to raw mangoes.

From April to June, Hyderabad transforms into a vibrant tapestry of golden hues as its streets overflow with an exquisite array of mangoes. Besides the fruits from various parts of Telangana, lorries laden with varieties such as Himayat, Daseri, Benishan, Alphonso and Rasalu roll in from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

This season, however, the king of fruits had to weather quite a storm to reach the city. Early this year, unseasonal rains and winds struck Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, significantly impacting Hyderabad’s primary mango suppliers. This flooded the wholesale markets with unripe kairi [unripe mango variety in Hindi], which jacked up prices (₹200-₹400 a kg) early in the season, until market forces ironed out the spikes.

Batasingaram, the city’s mango hub, handles 3,000 to 5,000 quintals of the fruit daily in peak season, with average prices pegged around ₹2,345 a quintal. Jambagh, another market, processes 500–800 quintals in the initial days of the season and 1,000-1,500 quintals in April.

Vendors like Zubair in Kothapet are busy with customers, as buying mangoes becomes a cherished ritual for many in the city. “Himayat is the favourite,” notes one vendor. “We ripen these mangoes with calcium carbide just two days before sale.” Current prices are steady compared to last year, ranging from ₹70-₹200 a kg depending on the variety.

This mango season also presented a striking juxtaposition: traditional vendors vis-à-vis quick commerce giants who offer rapid doorstep delivery.

While retail shops sell organic Banganapalli variety at ₹150-₹400 a kg, a quick-commerce establishment charge ₹79.12 a kg. Consumers are reluctant to buy the fruit from street vendors owing to concerns about calcium carbide.

Abdul Qadeer, president of the Jambagh market, speaks for the vendors. “Farmers follow regulations. The fear surrounding [calcium] carbide harms their livelihood. Where would smaller vendors turn to if consumers begin shopping online for supposedly fresh and organic products?”