Farmers’ woes echo at mango and jackfruit mela

Bengaluru,

The annual Mango and Jackfruit Mela is back in Bengaluru, drawing crowds eager to buy organic, carbide-free fruits sourced directly from farms across Karnataka. The mela, which opened on May 8, will continue till May 17 at Cubbon Park for the first time. It has been organised by the Department of Horticulture in association with the Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation Limited (KSMDMCL).

This year’s mela comes during a difficult season for mango farmers in Karnataka. Unpredictable weather conditions, including extreme heat, hailstorms and strong winds, have damaged crops in major mango-growing regions such as Kolar, Ramanagara and Chikkaball?pura. Girish, a farmer from Ramanagara, said changes in weather patterns had disrupted the harvest cycle across regions.

According to him, the overlap in harvesting periods has resulted in the mela being conducted in two phases this year — the first at Cubbon Park and the second later at Lalbagh Botanical Garden, once fruits from regions such as Kolar, Chikkaball?pura and Srinivaspura reach the market. Many farmers have also reported early fruit drop and reduced yields, raising concerns over lower production and financial losses this season. “The sales are comparatively better during weekends than on weekdays,” said Harshita, a vendor from Ramanagara.

She said she paid Rs. 2,100 to set up her stall as she had not registered with the Horticulture Department. Despite the challenges faced by growers, the mela has retained its festive atmosphere. Families, tourists and fruit lovers continued to throng the park to sample a wide variety of mangoes and jackfruit while supporting local farmers.

Visitors said the mela offered not only fresh produce but also an opportunity to buy directly from cultivators. “The taste and freshness are much better than what we usually get in supermarkets,” said Lakshmi Narayan, a resident of Malleswaram, who visited the mela with family. Another visitor, college student Aishwarya R., said the mela had become an annual outing for her family. “There are so many varieties available in one place, and the prices are reasonable. It also feels good to support farmers directly,” she said.