Rain caused by Cyclone Asani is expected to cut short Pune’s mango season by several weeks. Supply of mangoes from Karnataka will be hit, say farmers and traders, as continuous rain for the past three days has started affecting both the quality and quantity of the fruit in orchards.
Rohan Ursal, a commission agent working in the city’s wholesale market, said the season may end as early as the last week of May if rains continue to batter orchards in Karnataka.
Tumkuru Kolar, Chikmangaluru, Haveri and Chitradurga are some of the major mango-growing districts in Karnataka that cater to Pune’s markets. While Hapus, the produce from Karnataka’s coastal regions, hits the markets earlier in April, mango varieties from the state ensure that supply of the fruit lasts till middle of June. Orchard owners and farmers from Karnataka start bringing their produce to Pune’s market from the first week of May. However, this year, growers from Karnataka have pointed out several issues which have hit their productivity.
Usman SB, who has an orchard of nearly 6,000 trees in Tumkuru district, said they faced a series of drawbacks right at the start of the season. The first flowering in December was lost due to rains and the second flowering led to vegetative growth. “Rain during the months of February and March again resulted in loss of fruit and the fruits we are harvesting now are compromised in quality,” he said.
Kazimuddin Ahamed, another farmer, said only about 30 per cent of the harvested fruit was ready for the markets. Many farmers have started selling their produce to nearby juice extractors.
Mangoes from Karnataka, at present, are trading at Rs 200-300/per dozen as arrivals from Karnataka and Konkan coasts have led to price correction.
While the Konkan mango season is expected to end by the middle of May, produce from Karnataka will keep on coming to the market till the end of the month. However, Ursal said arrivals from Karnataka have been lower than usual.
“The start of the season has been marked with inclement climate and rains due to the cyclone is expected to add to concerns,” he said.
These rains will again affect the quality of the fruit and if they continue for more than three days, orchards will face the issue of vegetative growth, said Ursal. This may result in pest attacks on fruits.
,