Postal department started delivering mangoes from farms in Valsad on Friday.

The first consignment of 90 boxes was sent by the postal department on Friday.

The postal department, which has been supplying medicines during lockdown, started delivering mangoes from farms in Valsad on Friday.

A farmer from Valsad who owns six mango orchards approached the postal department after he faced difficulties in getting the mangoes delivered to his customers amid lockdown.

Dashrat Desai, who owns 5,000 mango trees, was ready with his consignment. A few days back he sent the mangoes ordered by a client in Surat in a private vehicle. “On way, the vehicle was checked at different locations by police and other government staffers, and eventually sent back,” Dashrath told The Indian Express.

Dashrath shared his concern with his neighbour Bharat Desai who works at the Valsad post office. Desai introduced him to Assistant Superintendent Anil Kumar. The logistics for transporting the mangoes and the charges were then chalked out. The post office charges Dashrath Rs. 10 per kg of mangoes shipped exclusive of GST.

On Friday, the first consignment left by the India Post mail van from Dashrath’s farm. Ninety boxes of Alphonso were delivered to two customers in Surat in just three hours. Desai also shared his experience with other mango farmers. As word spread, by Friday evening, the postal department received five orders from Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Mumbai.

Giving details about the services, Anil Kumar said, “We were already supplying medicines from pharmaceutical companies in Vapi, Valsad to Jaipur, Hyderabad and Mumbai. As the mango season is here, we grabbed the opportunity to transport the fruits to customers.”

We have received a lot of calls from many more farmers expressing interest to use our services. We are working out the rates to deliver mangoes in other states. Once it is finalised, we will start delivery to other states as well,” he added.

Dashrat said, “I have been doing farming of mangoes and chickoo for the last 25 years. This year due to the lockdown, the mango market in Valsad has not opened yet. So we contacted our customers online and used India Post services to deliver the mangoes to them. We have already sent the first consignment of 90 boxes today. We bore the transportation costs.”