Bad weather hits mango flowering

Vijayawada: Problems haunt the mango farmers of erstwhile Krishna district since the Covid pandemic in 2020. Covid affected the mango sales and exports for two years in 2020 and 2021 due to restrictions. Heavy rains and cold weather conditions have badly affected the crops for two consecutive years 2022 and 2023. Three months have passed since the flowering began in November/December 2022 but only 50 per cent trees have the flowering by the third week of January 2023. Continuous rains are bad for the mango crop. The mango farmers are worried about the crop and output this summer. Continuous rains since July 2022 to October/November have adversely affected the mango gardens. Due to moisture in the rainy season and subsequent cold weather conditions in December 2022 and January 2023, the flowering was hit. Horticulture officials and farmers predict only 50 per cent output this summer.

Mango is one of the most important fruit cultivated in erstwhile Krishna district with crop area of over 70,000 acre. The most important Nuzvid region was merged with Eluru district during the reorganisation of districts.

Mango is grown in over 40,000 acre in Eluru district, which was in Krishna district before the reorganisation of districts. Mango is grown in over 30,000 acre in NTR district and Krishna district.

Now mango farmers are worried with late flowering. Mango is one of the most important horticulture crops in erstwhile Krishna region and Nuzvid region is well known for delicious and high quality Banginapalli variety. Farmers will immensely benefit if they get good output of Banginapalli mangoes or juicy varieties. But the chilly weather and rains may dash their hopes this summer.

Krishna district assistant director of horticulture J Jyothy said the mango crop yield may be only 50 per cent this summer.

Continuous rains and chilly weather conditions in erstwhile Krishna region were badly affecting the crop this year, she added.

Mango farmers experienced several problems during the Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021 owing to restrictions on transportation of goods and lockdowns. They got a respite in 2022 as the Covid pandemic ended and were able to export mangoes to other states and countries.

But the yield was low in 2022 summer due to cold weather conditions and heavy rains that lashed in 2021. Warm weather conditions help good flowering and growing of fruits, said Jyothy.

K Nagaraju, a mango farmer near Nuzvid said there was no flowering in the mango garden even in the third week of January. He said the farmers are gradually losing hopes of flowering and getting yield this summer.