SOURCE: S Ramesh, Times of India
The mango crop, which was affected by heavy rainfall at the beginning of the year in 2021 and 2022, has now been hit following pre-monsoon showers.
The yield is expected to come down due to unseasonal rainfall, which will push up prices. Mango is cultivated on 3,045 hectares of land in Mysuru district.
The mangroves developed by farmers in many villages of Mysuru taluk is grown in 1,286 hectares of land, H D Kote (749 hectares), Hunsur (518 hectares), Nanjangud (302 hectares), KR Nagar (42 hectares), Periyapatan (13 hectares) and Saligrama (27 hectares) are the major source of income for local farmers. They supply their products to local markets and to Bengaluru, Mandya, Kodagu and Hassan.
The growers of the region, who had been cultivating this crop, had suffered heavily from unseasonal rains from the last two years.
Even this year too the unseasonal rains, fungus attack, fruit fly, pest disease, other unseasonal variations have jolted the growers of the region.
The pre-monsoon showers that lashed several parts of the district during the last one week has not only destroyed the crop to some extent, but impacted the profit of farmers when they are expecting bumper crop after spending heavily on fertilizer, manure and pesticides to avoid diseases to the crop
Though the mango flowering season started on a positive note early in November, December, even flower to fruit conversion also began on a positive note, but black fungus disease, pest attacks followed by heavy rains have taken a toll on the crops. This has resulted in a lower yield which will lead to price rise in the market due to less supply. Last week rains and hailstorms have only added to the woes of mango growers as incidents of fruit fall, crop yields were seen during the crucial flower to fruit conversion season. This has left several growers worried.
The pre-monsoon showers accompanied with gusty winds, thunderstorms have resulted in fruit fall, flower fall, impacting their crop during the crucial flower to fruit conversion period. “This has resulted in poor yield,” said Basavegowda, a mango grower from Shindenahallli village of H D Kote taluk.
Deputy director of horticulture K Rudresh said though several parts of the district have received pre-monsoon showers, this has only little impact on mango output as the flowery season began with a positive note end of last year and January this year. He said growers can expect seven to ten tonnes of mangoes from a hectare. “Farmers must concentrate more on watering mango trees, and spray pesticide during the crucial flower to fruit bearing season to expect bumper crops. Due to rains, there may be fruit drops, but it will be less,” he said.