Mango farmers fear pest attack may diminish produce

Mango farmers in Natham belt face sucker pest attack, leading to inflorescence fall and concerns over fruit production.

Mango farmers in Natham belt in Dindigul district are an apprehensive lot as a sucker pest attack in some of the orchards has led to a significant fall of inflorescence, leaving the branches bearing the panicle shrivelled. Some branches bear unripe fruits that are already turning yellow due to the pest attack.

Kannan, a mango farmer from Reddiyapatti in Natham taluk, says that by late January many trees were thriving and the flowering was in abundance. But as days passed, the sucker pest, which in local parlance is being called ‘chell puchi’, has been steadily sucking the sap of the inflorescence leading to drying up of the stalk. In some farms, there has been a second round of flowering and farmers fear that the trees may not have enough robustness to see many of these flowers turning into fruits.

Satish, a farmer from Kanavaipatti village, in Sanarpatti block of Dindigul district says, pest management was a costly affair. “Officials advise us to use pesticides on a regular basis and from November itself we have started applying pesticides. For about six acres of farm, I have already spent about ₹50,000. Once the pesticides are applied, the pests disappear but after an interval the attack begins again. Last year, this pest was seen in some farms but this year it has become more widespread,” he adds.

In Madurai district, Kesavan, fears that if the farms in the region produce less fruits and if there was a bountiful harvest in other regions then arrival of these fruits in Madurai and Dindigul market would lead to a glut in price. 

“Even if we get the pesticides at a subsidised rate, the wages being paid to workers who do the application in the farms is increasing. For male workers, we have to pay ₹700 per day and for women about ₹400 per day. We are hoping that the pest attack may not last long and we may yet see a good season,” he adds.

Pandian, a mango farmer, from Theni, says that in Periyakulam belt, this infestation has been less and almost all farmers were going in for application of pesticides.

J. Rajangam, Dean, Horticulture College and Research Institute, Periyakulam, says that pest attack was not uncommon but he warns against heavy application of pesticides. “Complete eradication of pests is possible only if all farms are pest-free, which is not feasible. Constant application of pesticides also leads to the pests becoming immune, so we advise the farmers not to go in for intensive use of pesticides,” he adds.