From Abha Anindita
BENGALURU, Dec 16: Is the succulent Khasi Mandarin poised to take over the orange market in the country? Not quite. But perhaps there are signs of early promises.
From the rolling hills of Meghalaya, the juicy and tangy mandarins are making a name for themselves in Bangalore as they continue to garner love at the ZestFest organized by the Meghalaya government, aiming to market the local mandarins.
On the second day of ZestFest here, a one-day farmer’s market took place at the Forum Mall, Kanakpura, in the food court, surrounded ironically by fast and junk food on all sides.
However, the crowd curiously checked out the oranges, inquiring about their origin, as Nagpur oranges have monopolised the market, until now.
As one shopper tasted the orange sample, the initial response was, “This is so juicy.” When asked about the difference from Nagpur oranges, Mohan Kumar from Bangalore mentioned the pulp and juice, highlighting that these less-known oranges are budget-friendly, sold at 100 rupees for 12 pieces.
He expressed appreciation for promoting them, stating, “We have had enough of exotic fruits cutting a hole in our pockets.”
Due to high moisture content, the Khasi mandarin’s shelf life is shorter compared to Nagpur oranges. The oranges’ organic farming and growth methods are considered advantageous, especially given the increasing preference for organic food in a time of adulterated products.
One Sujata R, who packed two bags full of oranges, stated they are perfect for making juice, emphasising that the organic cultivation enhances the taste and sweetness. She noted concerns about Nagpur oranges being commercialised and the use of pesticides over the years.
The question arises: how does Meghalaya plan to maintain old and organic farming methods if there’s a high demand from the market? Is it prepared?
To draw a comparison, Nagpur uses around 21,000 hectares for orange production, while Meghalaya has approximately 9,200-plus hectares. The production in Meghalaya for the assigned hectares also made up to 44,180 MT for the year 2020-21.
However, Meghalaya has the upper hand with the fruit’s taste feeling like good-old times with its juicy content and the right amount of sweet and tanginess; it does boast of the potential to rule the juice industry.
Also, for Meghalaya to carve its niche in the already established market, it has to invest abundantly in food processing in order to retain the shelf life of the product, which is perishable.
Moreover, places like Sohra and Resubelpara that were known to be the home of orange orchards hardly have orange trees now.
Sujata also mentioned how owing to the commercialisation of the fruit, the Nagpur orange’s taste has just vanished. This accentuates the fact that Meghalaya must find ways to be able to ensure that the quality and taste of production are not hampered by the fruit’s commercialisation.
And the sales from Friday at the Lulu Mall testified to the unique taste of the Khasi Mandarin.
The GI tagged Khasi Mandarin is also is in the process of being patented by the Meghalaya government along with other products like Lakadong Turmeric.
Talking about the push to promote Khasi Mandarin, Maqbool Lyngdoh Suiam from the Directorate of Food Processing mentioned the government’s initiative called ‘Citrus Rejuvenation’ to boost mandarin production. This programme, he said, involves rejuvenating old orchards, providing necessary nutrients, and adhering to traditional farming methods.
The government is cultivating oranges in 9,200 hectares while implementing the citrus rejuvenation programme under land panning across 2,029 hectares.
Additionally, efficient food processing methods are being explored to ensure the fruits last longer, especially during transportation over longer distances.