Farmers growing premium varieties of mangoes are struggling to find buyers due to a lockdown-induced fall in incomes Noshirwan Mistry has been unable to visit his farm since the lockdown was announced.
He lives in Mumbai, among the cities worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic, but owns an organic mango orchard in Dapoli, a coastal town in Ratnagiri district famed for the Alphonso cultivar of mangoes.
The variety known for its rich flavour and sweetness is largely exported, and commands a premium in the domestic market. But the lockdown has spelt unending worries for growers like Mistry. “I have no option but to convert the mangoes to pulp," Mistry said over phone. “Transport is not available and labourers who used to travel from