It’s gloom and doom in Vizag

A variety of factors blamed for the situation

Low yield of mangoes disappoint farmers in Visakhapatnam district. Mango growers are selling three raw mangoes for Rs.60 in the market in Visakhapatnam.

A bleak scenario stares at mango growers in Visakhapatnam district as a majority of the mango-growing areas fail to produce expected harvest post the flowering stage.

Normally, mangoes flood the market by this time. However, owing to low fruit set, local markets continue to present a grim picture. At present, the cost of three medium -sized raw mangoes is ₹60 in the market. Department officials give enough hints that the price of the king of fruits would be dearer as well in the coming weeks.

According to the statistics of the Planning Department, the mango crop is being raised on 13,615 hectares in the district this year which includes Paderu (665 hectares), Narsipatnam (7,124 hectares), Visakhapatnam (3,290 hectares), Anakapalle (2,536 hectares) divisions.

With adverse climatic conditions proving to be a bane for mango growers, a considerable part of the crop has been damaged, particularly after the flowering phase. In addition to this, presence of mango hoppers, unscientific pest management, absence of systematic pruning of branches and leaves were the other reasons cited by the horticulture officials for the low production expected this year.

Pest attack

Farmers who had sold large quantity of mangoes last summer lament that they do not expect any good returns this time. Kamireddy Trinadha Naidu, a farmer at Arle village, K. Kotapadu mandal, was able to sell 4,500 cartons (each carton consisting of 16 kg of mangoes) of

Suvarna Rekha, Banganapalli, Collector and

Kolangova varieties in New Delhi market through a trader in 2017. However, the farmer is worried that the quantum of sale will not exceed 1,000 cartons this time as he lost most part of the crop due to pest attack.

While Panukulu form a part of the early variety of mangoes, the mid-season varieties include Suvarna Rekha , Banganapalli , Chinnarasam , Cherukurasam , Panchadara Kalasa , among others. Neelam fall under the late-season variety.

Explaining the varieties grown in the district, Assistant Director of Horticulture, Narsipatnam K. Anuradha mentioned that farmers cultivate mixed varieties of mangoes in the region. “ Suvarna Rekha , Banganapalli, Collector or Totapuri , Cherukurasam , Pandirimamidi , Panchadara Kalasa and Neelam, among other varieties top the list, constituting 80% of the mango growing region. The rest of the varieties including Palapariya , Kolangava and Kothapalli Kobbari are also grown in various mandals across the district,” Ms. Anuradha told The Hindu . Compared to last year, she mentioned that the district is expected to register a 40% drop in the mango production .