The flowering of mango trees, which generally occurs in Jan, has already commenced in Kolar, the largest mango producer district in Karnataka, and other major producers of the fruit like Ramanagar, Dharwad and Davangere.
Kolar horticulture department deputy director Kumaraswamy said the crop yield might be hit if there are heavy rains in January or February, but otherwise they are on course to pocketing a bumper yield.
Over 70 per cent mango cultivating areas in Kolar district are rainfed and the remaining 30 per cent areas have irrigation facilities, with the minimum yield per hectare being 8,500 tonnes.
The highest grown variety in the district is Totapuri followed by Mallika, Alphonso, Badami, etc. The fruits are exported to Europe and Arab countries. Srinivaspur taluk tops the district in mango cultivation with 26,000 hectares followed by Mulbagal.
Santhebennnur in Channagiri taluk produces the Alphonso variety on a large-scale and the fruits are sent to Pune, Delhi and other places.
Dharwad, too, grows alphonso. Deputy director of horticulture department Kashinath Bhadrannavar told DH the variety is grown on over 8,400 hectares in the district.
Basavarajappa Nanjundappa, a grower, is hoping to harvest a good yield of alphonso and badami varieties, though the weather has got him a bit anxious.
“I have been growing mangoes on 8 acres of land in Nagenahalli village, Channagiri taluk, of Davangere district for more than a decade,” he said, worrying that the cloudy weather for the past few days would harm the flowering period and reduce the yield.
His wish: a dry spell for another two months, as it would fetch mango growers like him a bumper crop.