MADIKERI: THE famed Coorg oranges, which have been granted a geographical indication (GI) for their unique taste, could see its prices rising as the crop has been badly affected due to rain. Outside Kodagu district, the oranges usually sell for over Rs 100 per kg. “Oranges are grown across the district and mainly in South Kodagu. Due to untimely heavy rainfall this year, orange plantations have experienced excessive fruit drop and the yield has come down to less than 50%,” explained Macchamada Kanda Bheemaiah, a grower based in Virajpet.
While oranges are grown mainly as an inter-crop in coffee estates across North Kodagu, they are exclusively grown in 3-4 acre orchards across South Kodagu. “Cultivation of oranges has come down drastically in the district and it reduced to just 1,000 hectares, from over 20,000 hectares,” pointed out Virendra Kumar, chief scientist at Krishi Vignyana Kendra. He explained that change in the weather, apart from diseases, has reduced yield. “Oranges are falling from the trees due to excess rainfall and the yield has reduced this year.
I have planted over 500 trees from which I used to earn over Rs 2 lakh,” he added. Virendra Kumar rued that orange cultivation has reduced drastically over the years in the district. It is now being cultivated just as a tradition and less as a profitable crop. “With more diseases, the production cost has gone up, eating into profits. While Coorg oranges are greatly valued in markets, the growers earn very little,” added Bheemaiah.