NELLORE: Climate change has hit mango production in Nellore district this year. Normally, flowering begins from January 15 and lasts till February 15. But this year the change in climatic conditions has disturbed the flowering cycle.
Mango orchards are spread in around 8,000 hectares in Atmakur, Gudur, Rapur, Naidupet, Venkatagiri, Sangam, Kaligiri, Vinjamur and AS Pet mandals. The normal crop acreage is 10,000 hectares, but this year it has declined to 8,000 hectares. Last year too, mango yield saw steep decline due to delay in flowering. The mango production has been on the decline since 2016 due to deficit rainfall. Usually, one hectare of crop gives an yield of 8 to 10 tonnes of mangoes.
But this time farmers are expecting low production due to erratic weather pattern and unseasonal rain. The untimely rain damaged crops in the district. Farmers raised Banginapalli variety of mangoes in a large extent for good returns. “Mango imports are expected during May-end. But this year mango production got delayed due to rise in temperature. Now, there is a good demand for mangoes in the market. The price for one tonne of mangoes may fall due to the delay in production of mangoes,” said K Veeraswamy, a farmer from Vinjamur mandal.
The price for one tonne of mangoes ranges from `25,000 to `30,000 in the market. Nellore mangoes have good demand in Bengaluru, Chennai and Telangana. But late flowering of the fruit and the resultant delay in harvest has hit the export market. A senior official from the horticulture department said change in climatic conditions may hit mango exports. “We are expecting around 40,000 tonnes of mangoes this season,” he added.
8,000 hectares Actual crop acreage
10,000 hectaresNormal crop acreage