Real Estate, Fish and Now Mangoes Going Out of Goans’ Reach

Shocking but true, it’s our land, our fish and our mangoes but it has gone out of our reach.
It all started with the real estate in Goa. With more and more Delhi-based businessmen wanting to make an abode in Goa or for commercial purposes, the property prices have sky-rocketed in Goa making it out of reach for Goans.
Sold at an average price of Rs 1 cr, a decent 2-bedroom flat has become unaffordable for Goans.
Similar was the case with seafood, the fish curry rice, the staple diet of Goans, suddenly has become unaffordable for Goans.
The Kingfish, Chonak, Modso, Crabs, Prawns, Xinanyo prices have just sky-rocketed not just during tourist season but throughout the year.
Currently, the Kingfish is selling at an average price of Rs 1000. Certainly out of average Gaons’ reach.
Sources reveal this is due to the export of fish and no control of government authorities.
Now comes the King of Fruits – Mango.
The present market price of the fruit has disappointed mango lovers a lot. Even last year, the yield of mangoes in Goa was below average. With the same trend continuing this year too, mango sellers are not expecting profit. The buyers too are taking the brunt of price escalation.
Mangoes make many mouths water, however the fruit presently is too expensive to be enjoyed by residents. At Rs 2,400 per dozen for Mancurad and Rs 1,000 per dozen for the Alphonso variety, purchasing mangoes is a big dent in the pocket for the average householder.
The demand is mostly from people visiting Goa for a few weeks and will not be around during the peak season when a flood of the fruit ensures prices are cheap
The mango season has clearly started and mangoes have started arriving in various markets of the state. This year the season seems to be lean, as fewer quantities of the fruit are sighted in the market. Local farmers are blaming unfavourable climatic conditions for the low availability. They said that the mango production is less this year as the trees bore fewer fruit. Unpredictable weather affected several crops, especially the two best produce of the state, viz. cashew and mango, said farmers.
There are varieties of mangoes grown in the state, like Musharad, Fernandin, Malgesh, Godo Amo, Bhisam, etc and many varieties such as Hapus, Neelam, Totapuri, and Pairy also come from the neighbouring states. Against the varieties available, the Goan Mankurad remains the hot favourite of residents. For most Goans, the Mancurad grown locally is the best and far superior in taste to Maharashtra’s Alphonso mangoes which although good are hyped in popularity.
Known for their exceptional sweetness and rich pulpiness, Mancurad mangoes are a highly sought-after delicacy during the mango season. However, this year’s steep rise in prices has raised eyebrows among consumers, who may find it difficult to justify such a hefty expenditure for a dozen mangoes.
A vendor said that many varieties of mangoes come from the neighbouring states, however, the taste of the Goan manicured is unique and its quality superior which is why it is in high demand. “The better quality of the Goan Mancurad has helped it retain the position of King of Mangoes,” he said.
It must be pointed out that, artificially ripened mangoes are sold in the market due to which many buyers prefer to buy mangoes from their known and trusted vendor.