Sambalpur: The district authorities hope to create a wider market for the different varieties of mangoes grown here as it dispatched its first consignment to Delhi.
Mangoes from the remote tribal belt of Kuchinda sub-division will be sold in Delhi for the first time. The 6.80-quintal consignment was sent by Hirakud Express from Sambalpur station. The mangoes will be sold in different outlets run by Mother Dairy in Delhi, Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (Ormas) assistant director Srimanta Hota told The Telegraph.
"Hundred quintals of lengada, amrapalli and mallika varieties will be sent to Mother Dairy in phases according to our agreement," he said.
The mangoes have been procured from different farmers from Kaisar and Kungajor villages through Kuchinda sub-division's Ma Tarani self-help group.
"Mother Dairy officials had come visited Kuchinda to provide post-harvest training, including packaging, to the farmers a few days back," the official said. "In the peak mango season, the farmers are forced to sell mangoes at throwaway prices to middlemen. But the new system will get them a fair price if it successfully clicks with the Delhi consumers," Hota said.
He said Mother Dairy would transfer money directly to the farmers' bank accounts. The produce will be collected from the doorstep and sold in Delhi at a higher price without any middleman coming into the picture.
