Steep drop in mango yield prevents farmers from reaping the benefits of higher prices

It has been a mixed bag for mango growers in Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district as they have both good and bad news. Such is the case for mango farmers in Vedaranyam

It has been a mixed bag for mango growers in Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district as they have both good and bad news. Such is the case for mango farmers in Vedaranyam. They have received higher prices compared to the past two years, but there has been a severe drop in yield because of pest attack and hostile weather conditions, according to some farmers.

After Cyclone Gaja hit the district in 2018, the area under cultivation of mango decreased from 5,000 hectares to 2,900 hectares. Though farmers said that the last two years were a recovery period, with good flowering followed by reasonable yields, this year’s heatwave and off-season rain affected the yield. The reported drop in mango yield across the State and several parts of the country and pest attack have added to the problem.

R. Jegannathan, a mango farmer from Sembodai Panchayat, said: “On one acre, we used to harvest five tonnes of mangoes. Now, only one tonne is harvested. Though rain is good for the tree’s health, it hampers flowering.” The procurement price for Raspuri mango is ₹35 a kg as against ₹10-15 last year and ₹20-25 the year before. However, farmers could not enjoy the good rates because of the severe drop in yield.

The sucking pests found in mango trees are a serious issue, and farmers want the government to help address this and create more specialised schemes.

Mr. Jegannathan was hopeful of a promising mango market with widespread demand in the State and neighboring States. Mangoes from Vedaranyam are sold to various cities, including Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Tiruchi, Dindigul, Chennai and Coimbatore, and Kerala.

Comprehensive steps to study issues pertaining to mango farmers in Vedaranyam are necessary. Climate-oriented relief and techniques to empower mango farmers are needed. Options such as making value-added products from mango should be explored, said T. Olichandiran, another farmer in Panchanathikulam.

Officials from the Horticulture department told The Hindu that a section of farmers was provided with needed agricultural inputs, including fertilizers, and field-level programmes were conducted to manage sucking pests.