Rain, heat threaten king of fruits in Karnataka

Alphonso (Badami) the most sought-after mango variety has been largely hit due to climatic variation

Untimely rains at the start of the year followed by steady rise in the mercury levels have dashed hopes of a bumper yield of 14 lakh tonnes of mangoes this year in the state. The sudden climatic fluctuation across the mango cultivation belt of Karnataka has resulted in the loss of about 4 lakh tonnes, according to the officials of the Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation Ltd (KSMDMCL).

Alphonso (Badami), the most sought-after mango variety which accounts for about 30 to 40 per cent of the state’s mango production, has been largely hit due to climatic variation. “The technical committee had earlier estimated about 14 lakh tonnes. But showers, hail storms and rise in temperature have affected the flowering process causing an overall dip in production,” explained K V Nagaraju, chairperson of KSMDMCL.

Nagaraju added, “Alphonso varieties are sensitive even to the smallest fluctuation in weather. Rise in temperature results in flowers dropping in some areas. Later, humidity increased due to rain, triggering fungal infection. Loss in production and rise in demand could push up the cost of the mangoes. Now, we are also worried about extreme heat and heavy winds, a characteristic of pre-monsoon showers, as they could wipe out the crop.” Being the third largest mango producer in India, Karnataka’s mango varieties are often chosen for table purpose and export.

While the board had a tough task in marketing the crop last year amid the pandemic and lock-down, this year it has chalked out a detailed plan for marketing the fruits. C G Nagaraju, managing director of the Board, said, “Switching to online platform, we had sold about 100 tonnes with a turnover of Rs 1.5 crore. We could not deliver in some areas of Bengaluru and other parts of the state. This time, we plan to deliver to all the 98 PIN codes in Bengaluru.” This apart, the Board is also continuing its collaboration with apartment communities across Bengaluru as it helped market about 1,000 tonnes of fruits last year.

The steep rise in the cargo flying charges due to the Covid scenario has also left farmers worried as it would affect the export to the Middle East and Europe. “We plan to consult the chief minister seeking a rebate on these charges to help the farmers,” Nagaraju said.