HRAWI PUSHES FOR OPENING UP OF WATER-WAYS FOR BOOSTING COASTAL TOURISM

HRAWI Applauds Railway Minister’s Initiatives For Bettering Tourists’ Experience

Mumbai: Union Minister for Railways, Suresh Prabhu’s recent announcement commissioning local taxi and auto drivers as tourist guides at Kankavali station has been applauded by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI). The association has cited this effort as a sign of inclusive governance that goes beyond its scope of work to support ancillary industries.

Commending the vision, President of HRAWI, Mr. Bharat Malkani said, “Although this decision does not affect or directly impact the hotel industry, the move indicates the tone of the Government. To us, this is a promising sign and gives us hope.”

“It is an idea that is both simple and ingenious. However, it is also very crucial that thorough audits must be done to identify that these taxi and auto drivers are indeed locals and that the training should include development of their soft skills for tourists to feel a home. With suitable training, which according to the Minister would be provided by the Railways and the State Government, there are none who are more suited than local taxi and auto drivers to act as tourist guides. Not only will tourists get access to easy, convenient and legitimate information off hand, but it will also give the locals additional income, besides enhancing the experience of tourists visiting the place,” he added.

HRAWI has been advocating the development and promotion of tourism in the coastal regions of Maharashtra. Projecting the Konkan beach belt, which the association believes is underrated and untapped, is expected to generate employment opportunities and significant revenues to the state.

“Beaches along the Konkan stretch of Maharashtra are unparalleled in their beauty. With ample sunshine, golden sand and sub culture, atmosphere, cuisine and people that are unique to this region, it is as good, if not better than Goa or surrounding places. If only the Government focuses on improving the transport infrastructure and connectivity, the tourist arrivals could easily see an appreciated surge,” says Mr. Malkani.

Meanwhile, HRAWI also appealed to the Government to implement its earlier proposal for opening up the waterways as this could boost coastal tourism. “Mumbai has one of the biggest ports and waterways and the possibility that it could be utilized as a medium of transportation has been overlooked for long. If the government looks at opening up this possibility, then tourists could use the water mode to reach their beach of choice. This could irrevocably change the landscape of tourism in the state,” concluded Mr. Malkani.

About Hotel & Restaurant Association Western India (HRAWI)

The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) is a 64 years old Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Western India. Its members include Hotels up to 5-Star Deluxe categories like The Taj, Trident, Hyatt, J.W. Marriott and The Leela who are some of the prominent members of our Association. With around 1300 members across Western India, HRAWI covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and the Union Territories of Daman, Diu & Silvassa is considered to be the voice of the Hotel Industry. The association is part of the national body of Federation of the Hotels & Restaurants Associations of India (FHRAI), located in New Delhi, which was originally founded in Mumbai in 1950 by the late Mr. J.R.D. Tata.

RETAIL IMPACT OF EU BAN ON ALPHONSOS

VIEWPOINT:

Mumbai, May: It is a season that spans only two months, but in these two months Alphonso mangoes go on to generate sales of a whopping Rs. 2000/- crore. And with 70% of the sales happening in Mumbai, it has quite an impact on the region’s economy. Currently about 1 lac boxes arrive in the market each day, but this year the quality of the crop has been below par and most of the mangoes are of inferior quality. The prices are also 50-60% higher compared to last year.

“However, the recent ban on mangoes by the European Union may have an impact on retail prices. Though, it is a likely scenario that the prices will fall, it is not a necessity. New markets like New Zealand have opened up and the Gulf region is experiencing a massive increase in their consumption of Alphonsos,” says Rajiv Tevtiya, co founder and CEO, greencart.in, a Mumbai based online portal that has emerged as one of the largest mango retailers in the organized segment. The portal specializes in fresh produce and gourmet food.

However, what is of a larger significance to the retail consumers is that this season the Karnataka Alphonsos have hit the market in big way.

Mangoes of a particular variety that grow in the coastal belt of Konkan and certain areas of South Gujarat are called Alphonso Mangoes. The soil, the climate, the proximity to the sea, the wind and the temperature that the crop are exposed to are some of the key factors that determine their texture, aroma, color and flavor. Alphonso mangoes from Devgad are said to be the finest followed by those from the neighboring Ratnagiri. Valsad, Murud-Janjira and Sindhudurg are also known to provide quality Alphonsos.

“Over 70% of the Alphonsos sold in local markets of Mumbai are Karnataka Alphonsos under the guise of Ratnagiri or Devgad. True aficionados can spot the difference, but most consumers will not be able to. These mangoes are slightly less sweet in taste but are 20 to 30% cheaper as compared to Ratnagiri or Devgad counterparts within the same grade,” adds Mr. Tevtiya.

“Due to an extended winter, the mango season started late this year. The Alphonsos need a stroke of heat for them to mature properly. The weather affected much of the crops and resulted in a drop in quality. While mangoes are available in the market, quality Alphonsos are in short supply. To overcome the shortage, many retailers are selling Karnataka mangoes as Alphonsos. What is unethical about this is the lack of transparency and they being sold as Ratnagiri and Devgad Alphonsos,” he says.

“The Greencart mangoes, currently available at www.greencart.in, comprise twelve varieties of Alphonsos sourced from select orchards. Greencart’s in depth expertise in Agribusiness help them source top-notch quality from the select farms.  Our mangoes differ from those available at local vendors. They are hand graded for standardization and naturally ripened at Government approved ripening chambers. Natural ripening is a long and intensive process that incurs substantial costs. So most vendors resort to ripening the mangoes artificially by using a banned toxic powder called Calcium Carbide, which are known to cause severe health damages. Our mangoes come with a carbide free guarantee,” concludes Rajiv Tevtiya.

About Greencart:

Greencart.in is a Mumbai based online portal specializing in fresh produce and gourmet food. It had recently secured US $ 1.5 million in its first round of funding. It currently offers more than 1500 products in over thirty categories. Its fresh range is one of the most extensive in the city and is currently unmatched by any online or brick and mortar store. The full range of products can be viewed at www.greencart.in.  The products are currently delivered across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai & Thane and will soon be available in other parts.

MUMBAI WARMS UP TO PRE SEASON ALPHONSOS

Greencart.in Introduces Its Range of Branded, Naturally Ripened, 100% Carbide Free Alphonsos

Mumbai: With the city beginning to warm up to the king of fruits following a relative drop in prices, Greencart.in has launched its own range of branded Alphonso mangoes. Available in six different varieties, the mangoes are graded, packaged and come with one hundred percent naturally ripened and carbide free guarantee.

“Mangoes of a particular variety that grow in the coastal belt of Konkan and certain areas of South Gujarat are called Alphonso Mangoes. The soil, the climate, the proximity to the sea, the wind and the temperature that the crop are exposed to are some of the key factors that determine their texture, aroma, color and flavor. Alphonso mangoes from Devgad are said to be the best followed by those from the neighboring Ratnagiri,” says Rajiv Tevtiya, co founder and CEO.

The Greencart mangoes, currently available at www.greencart.in, comprise six varieties of Alphonsos sourced from select orchards of Devgad and Ratnagiri. Greencart’s in-depth expertise in Agribusiness help them source topnotch quality from the select farms.  “Our mangoes differ from those available at local vendors.

They are hand graded for standardization and naturally ripened at Government approved ripening chambers. Natural ripening is a long and intensive process that incurs substantial costs. So most vendors resort to ripening the mangoes artificially by using a banned toxic powder called Calcium Carbide, which are known to cause severe health damages. Our mangoes come with a carbide free guarantee,” he adds.

Alphonso mangoes available at this time of year are pre-season mangoes, which are mild in taste and aroma. They are more flavor some and less sweeter than their full season counterparts that are expected to hit the market by mid-April.

Greencart.in is a Mumbai based online portal specializing in fresh produce and gourmet food. It had recently secured US $ 1.5 million in its first round of funding. It currently offers more than 1500 products in over thirty categories. Its fresh range is one of the most extensive in the city and is currently unmatched by any online or brick and mortar store. The full range of products can be viewed at www.greencart.in.  The products are currently delivered across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai & Thane and will soon be available in other parts.