Weather woes, pest attack deal a blow to Telangana’s mango harvest, flavour

Unseasonal rain, spells of hailstorm, and mango hopper infestation have cut harvest of the fruit by 70% in the State and robbed them of sweetness as well.

Unseasonal rain, spells of hailstorm, and mango hopper infestation have cut harvest of the fruit by 70% in the State and robbed them of sweetness as well.

“The climatic conditions were not conducive for a good harvest. The main factors were hailstorms, winter rain, and mango hopper infestation in Sangareddy area,” said Suchitra, a scientist at the Fruit Research Station (FRS), Sangareddy. The impact of the climatic conditions can be gauged from the fact that the FRS could harvest fruit from only 77 varietals out of the 400 that it has on its property.

The adverse climatic conditions have meant that eating the fruit is less than a satisfying experience. “It rained after the fruit had matured, leading to loss of sugar content and leaving an insipid taste. The shelf life also has been affected,” said the scientist at FRS.

Mangoes have been one of the key export items from the region, including varieties like Banganapalli, Suvarnarekha, Neelum, and Totapuri, according to Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority data. “Last year, I sent between 130-150 trucks of mangoes to Mumbai. This year, I have sent 18 trucks and will be able to send another 15-18 trucks over the next few days,” said Mohammed Saleem, a grower and trader from Zaheerabad. Hyderabad is surrounded by mango orchards in Rangareddy, Sangareddy, Siddipet, Vikarabad and Medak districts.

“There used to be a three-day exhibition of 400 varieties of mangoes at FRS. This year, we had it for one day. We had trouble from the flowering stage in November-December when it was extremely cold and cloudy. Then the big damage was due to rain and hailstorm,” said Akhil Ahmed, a trader and grower from Kohir.

However, for connoisseurs of mangoes who can shell out a little more, the market is flooded with varieties from across the country, including Imampasand, Dasheri, Alphonso, Kesar, Malgoa, and other mouth-watering varieties. But they are priced in the range of ₹150 and ₹400 per kg.