India, April 17 -- dheeraj.bengrut@htlive.com

PUNE: With the demand for mangoes having risen ahead of the Hindu festival of Akshay Tritiya even as supply is noticeably lower than last year according to traders, prices of the fruit have increased in Pune markets.

Traditionally, many Maharashtrian households begin consuming mangoes only after first offering the fruit to deities and ancestors on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya. With Akshay Tritiya round-the-corner, fresh mango varieties have started arriving at Pune's Market Yard but the fruit is in short supply this year largely due to unseasonal rains across the Konkan belt over the past few months that disrupted flowering and reduced overall yield. While the inflow of mangoes is expected...