VIJAYAPURA: Standing in his lemon farm in Babaleshwar village, Akram Malkhed is more worried about saving his 150 plants than getting yield from the plants.
“Normally, in October we could see plants full of lemons. Labourers had to spend more time plucking lemons from the plant and even picking the ones which fall. But this year in the same months, the plants are hardly bearing any fruit. We did not face such a situation even during the last summers when the yield normally declines”, he said.
Malkhed said that even during past summers, he was collecting around four to five bags of lemon every day, but this year, in October, he is getting literally nothing from the plants. Winters are the season when the plants bear higher fruits because of enough moisture in the soil and moderate temperature which helps plants to yield more fruits, he said.
Even after having two borewells, Malkhed said that only one is yielding water this year as even then one is not yielding enough water to save the plants. “On the one hand, the water level has depleted in the borewells, on the other, the government has resorted to frequent power cuts. And I am unable to supply enough water to my plants”, he said.
He said that the situation of other lemon farmers is also not good as they are too facing similar problems. Some of the farmers who have irrigation facilities, are getting some yield, but neither the size is good nor they are juicy enough.
“Now, my first goal is to ensure that my plants survive till June next year. If the plants wither, then I will have no choice but to cut down all the plants and take up fresh plantations and wait for at least three years for the plants to reach the fruit bearing stage,” he said.
Meanwhile speaking to TNIE, Sidram Baragimath, Assistant Director of Horticulture Department, said that the district cultivates lemon in around 8,000 hectare land.
This year the yield is expected to reduce by around 60% percent due to drought. He said scanty rains adversely affect flowering due to decline in moisture. He also said dryness in plants poses a threat of pest attack. “Rainwater contains protein, vitamins and minerals which is better for plants, unlike surface or borewell water which may have higher acidic or alkaline contents. It may help save plants but not help in higher yield”, he said.