Due to the climatic conditions last year, including an extended monsoon season and a mild winter, Karnataka is witnessing a steep decline in mango production, and the fruit’s arrival in the market has been delayed as a result. Though mangoes should currently be available for purchase, they will likely only arrive after a month or so.
The state typically accounts for about 12 lakh metric tonnes of mango every year, but officials are concerned that this year’s production will fall to about half the usual number. Mango production estimates for this season is only around 4.5 to 5.2 lakh metric tonnes.
The mangoes grown in the state include Badami, Sendura, Totapuri, Mallika, Banganapalli, Neelam and Daseri among others. Both Badami and Banganapalli are export quality mangoes. Karnataka ranks after Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh in the production of mangoes in the country.
KB Krishnamurthy, Deputy Director of the Mango Development Board, Madikere in Chikkaballapur, explains that the monsoon extended till November last year, whereas October and November are typically dry months. That, along with a mild winter affected the factors that lead to flowering in mango trees and the growth of fruits.
Mango flowering begins in November and continues till January. By February, the fruit grows in size and eventually hits the market. However, that has not been the case this year as production has fallen by 45 to 50%.
“The ideal temperature for flowering in mango trees during winter months should be below 15 degree Celsius and usually, temperatures during winter season is around 15 to 18 degree Celsius, but last year the night temperature during winter months was around 20 degree Celsius and above. This rise in temperature during winter months hampered the flowering. Flowering has been less than 50% this season,” Krishnamurthy says.
To assess the mango production in each of the mango producing districts in the state, the officer says, “We have done field visits by technical committee members and the data collected indicates a fall in mango production in the state,” adding, “Not only Karnataka, mango production has taken a beating all over the country.”
From the field visits, the technical committee gathered that young trees ranging between 8-15 years have had more fruits this season while old trees which are about 30-40 years old haven’t had much fruits, in a disappointment for farmers.
Normally, farmers in Ramanagar and Dharwad would pick the fruits so mangoes would hit the market in time but now owing to the delayed flowering, the fruit-picking will start only from April 15 onwards. Mango growers in Kolar and Chikkaballapur will do the fruit-picking a little later.
“Because of the late arrival in the market, the peak mango season would be in the last week of May this year,” the officer says.
Surendra Gowda, a mango grower in Chikkaballapur’s Siddlaghatta who received the state award for quality production of mangoes last year, is unhappy this season owing to the delayed flowering.
Gowda, who owns a 7-acre plot, had produced 15 tonnes of mangoes last year besides two tonnes of Imam Pasand, another popular variety. But he rues that this season he might end up with only 5-6 tonnes of mangoes and around 500 kg of Imam Pasand.
“I made a profit last year and received the state award for quality mangoes, but this time around it has been only 30% flowering affecting the mango yield,” laments Gowda. He adds that he will pick the fruit only after two months since the fruits in his trees grow in size late.
“It’s a failure crop this season,” Gowda says, adding that his only hope for better revenue is if growers get a better price for mangoes in the market; otherwise he and other growers would be under loss.
Girisha is a freelancer who reports on wildlife and the environment.