The East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh is buzzing with excitement as the mango season kicks off. Although the delicious fruit has already hit the market, farmers anticipate it will take another month for the mangoes to ripen fully.
Situated along the national highway that traverses Rajahmundry and Visakhapatnam, Annavaram stands out as a prominent temple town. Traditionally, mango sales along this route commence towards late April annually. However, this year has seen an early start, with farmers beginning to sell mangoes in mid-March.
Travellers passing through the national highway are enthusiastically indulging in mango purchases, presented with a wide variety including Rasalu, Banginipalli, Kothapalli, and Coconut. The landscape is adorned with mango orchards boasting thousands of trees, with farmers diligently cultivating mangoes on both sides of the road.
Local farmers capitalize on fallen or ripe mangoes, collecting and crushing them for sale along the highway. Ingeniously displayed on special shelves, these mangoes attract a steady stream of customers. Nevertheless, farmers caution that this year's harvest might experience a slight delay compared to the previous year. Despite the trees being heavily laden with mangoes, there is a heightened risk of premature falling. Consequently, some farmers anticipate the peak harvest to occur in May.
Source: news18.com