Fruits Info

LAHORE: The king of fruits - the mango - is being sold in big quantities and at high prices in markets of Lahore, but the excellence is low and the taste deprived because of the availability of Sindhi crop only.

The mangoes being supplied to markets are fraction of the post-harvest Sindhi crop, which bust off because of strong winds. The supply of Punjab’s tasty mangoes will the majority maybe start by the end of next month, which can also bring down prices, said vendor Asghar Khan in Main Market (Gulberg). He said the supply of low-quality mangoes from Sindh was low, because of which prices were lofty. Sindhri and dosehri were the types of mangoes being full to markets in majority, but anwar rathore was obtainable at fruit shops in posh localities only, he added. Although the desi and lungra types were obtainable in some areas of the city, the quality was actually poor and the prices high.

Vendors were selling dosehri for Rs 40 to Rs 45 per kilograms, but the type was sold for Rs 30 to Rs 35 per kilograms last year. The prices of desi and lungra have gone up from Rs 20 per kilograms to Rs 30. There is also a 10-rupee difference between the prices of sindhri. The bulk of vendors and shopkeepers said that the taste of mangoes was not up to the mark this season. "Customers have been complaining about the poor taste, but they can’t stop eating mangoes," said Afzal Khan, the owner of a shop in WAPDA Town. He said that suppliers were dishonest vendors by hiding immature mangoes under ripe ones in crates. Although people complained about the deprived taste, they still bought mangoes because they were foolish about the fruit, he added.