Once considered ‘green gold’, mango farmers are struggling to eke out a living with the king of fruits.
With the monsoons being poor, a recent survey conducted among mango growers in Kolar and Chickballapur districts — which contribute nearly 40 per cent of the total produce from Karnataka — has estimated the losses this year to exceed Rs. 900 crore in these two districts alone.
Mango cultivation in these districts is spread over 60,000 hectares producing an average of 4.5 lakh tonnes of the fruit. However, the survey conducted by a team of agricultural scientists and researchers reveals that in more than 30,000 hectares, mango trees have started to wilt and dry out. The survey expects the mango output to reduce by 1 lakh tonnes this year, affecting more than 40,000 farmers in the districts.
Though a State-wide survey by the Horticulture Department is yet to be completed, officials said drying plants were seen in districts such as Ramanagaram, where an estimated 500 hectares have been affected. “These districts have been affected owing to drought. The output from the State is going to be severely hit,” said Additional Director (Fruits and Flowers) M. Parashiva Murthy.
Farmers who spoke to The Hindu concurred with tales of declining losses. For instance, in Seekal village of Chintamani taluk, 10 farmers have abandoned their fields, while 10 more are reported to be in the process of migrating to urban centres.
Though there has been a gradual decline in mango farming, the poor monsoon of 2014 has been a drastic hit, said K. Srinivas Gowda, president of the Chickballapura Mango Growers’ Organisation. “Ten years ago, we used to get water at 300 ft. Now, even at 1,500 ft, we do not get enough water in our fields,” he said. Consequently, tending to dying plants and replacing dead trees has reduced profits, which used to touch Rs. 50,000 an acre.
