Reap what you bag: Karnataka farmers shield mangoes

Recent rains and warning from officials on less than normal mango output this year have forced farmers to go the extra mile to save the fruit that is eagerly awaited during summer.

Farmers in Chikkaballapur, Kolar and Ramanagar have begun covering mangoes with customised biodegradable bags coated with organic wax to keep insects and birds at bay as well as to prevent fungus infection and rotting.

Sources in the Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation Ltd (KSMDMCL) told DH that the practice is seen in isolated farms in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra even though it is quite common in South and South-East Asia.

"Keeping in mind the changing climatic conditions and fear of losing the crop, mango farmers in some districts have chosen to cover fruits with customised bags on their own," said a technical officer from the KSMDMCL.

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HV Venkateshappa, a farmer in Chikkaballapura said the technique is helping him to safeguard the fruit in his mango farm from "temperature changes, rains besides helping the fruit to retain quality".

"I agree that it will add to the overall cost besides being time-consuming and labour-intensive. But on the other hand, it results in higher sugar content in the fruit, prevents the development of white tissue and other infections," he said.

Another mango cultivator MR Vijaykumar from Tumakuru said he picked it up on a visit to a couple of farms in Andhra Pradesh.

"It helps in retaining the quality and size of the mango which will help you get a good price in the market. Hence, I decided to experiment with the idea," said Vijaykumar.

At the farms, thousands of fruits have been covered with biodegradable bags.

"I have about 550 Alphonso variety trees spread over five-acre plot. All the fruits in these trees are covered with bags," Venkateshappa said.

"Due to the wax coating both inside and outside the cover, the dew or raindrops will just slide down and do not affect the fruit. There is ample space around for air circulation. Each bag costs around Rs 1.75 to Rs 2. If we get a good result this time, we will educate other farmers in various districts."

With farmers likely to incur additional expenses due to the novel experiment, the cost will eventually be transferred onto consumers.

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