Unseasonal rain may hit mango yield

The sudden rainfall between March 1 and 4 in and around the City will affect the mango production. According to Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation (KSMDMC), the mango production is likely to come down by 10-30 percent this season due to the untimely rain. Besides, the cost of the King of Fruits would also escalate this season.

The untimely rain in the past few days has come as a shock to KSMDMC and mango growers, who were expecting a good yield and profits this season, especially after the European Union lifted its ban on export of Alphanso mangoes from India.

KSMDMC president M Kamalakshi Rajanna told Deccan Herald that mango growing areas were affected in Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagar and surrounding areas because of the rainfall. In these areas, fresh flowers and button-sized fruits have fallen because of the downpour. The damage in Chitradurga and Belagavi districts is not much. But the damage caused by the rain in Chikkaballapur, Tumkur and Kolar districts where rainfall was severe, is yet to be ascertained. The details are being compiled. But the damage seems to be not more as the fruits in these regions have grown bigger and have survived.

According to Indian Meteorological Department figures, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagar, Kolar, Chikkaballapur and Tumkur districts received 1-2 cm rainfall every day in the last three days. Rain, however, was not so intense in and around Belagavi and Chitradurga.
The mango yield from Bengaluru Urban and Ramanagar districts alone is around one lakh tonnes. Half yearly yield in this region is 3-4 lakh tonnes and the annual yield is over eight lakh tonnes. Further, in areas like Kolar and Chikkaballapur, farmers had axed old trees this year (which were over 40 years old) as the yield was reducing. Though new farmers have grown mangoes, an increase in production will be a setback, she added.
Additional Director of Horticulture (Fruits and Floriculture) K M Parashivamurthy said that hope for good export still remains as they have tied up with exporters at the all exporters meeting last year. 

Over 15 export firms tied up with farmers from across the State at the interaction between farmers and growers in Srinivasapur held during January and February. They will be helping in packaging and export, he added.

Normally on an average, around 5000 tonnes of mangoes is exported annually. But this year, with tie ups with exporters through various marketing strategies, KSMDMC targeted 300-500 tonnes. The varieties exported include Alphanso, Badami, Begumpalli, Mallika, Dasseri, Amprapalli and Benashin.

Farmers also fear that the production will see a drastic dip if the rainfall persists for the next few days. They are already feeling the competition from Maharashtra where Raspuri mango has already hit the market shelves.