TIRUPATI: Mango farmers across erstwhile Chittoor, including parts of Annamayya district, are staring at heavy losses this season as erratic weather conditions have drastically reduced flowering, leading to a sharp decline in expected yields. Unseasonal rains and high temperatures as early as February have also dampened farmers’ hopes for a good mango yield this season.
Spread across nearly 1.16 lakh hectares, mango cultivation in the district has been severely impacted, with experts estimating overall crop damage between 50% and 60%.
The primary reason behind the decline is the significant reduction in flowering, which has fallen by more than half in many orchards.
High temperatures exceeding 40°C since Maha Shivaratri have further aggravated the situation, affecting fruit setting and causing premature fruit drop.
Even where initial fruiting occurred, the extreme heat disrupted the hormonal balance in the plants, resulting in poor retention. Unseasonal rains in January and March, along with showers at the end of December, also played a major role in disturbing the crop cycle.
Instead of the required dry spell for healthy flowering, the rains triggered vegetative growth, leading to irregular blooming and reduced fruit formation. Flowering, which typically begins earlier, was delayed until the second week of February in many areas.
The erstwhile Chittoor district, including parts of Annamayya and Tirupati districts, remains a major hub for mango cultivation, with orchards spread over 2.87 lakh.
Of this, the Totapuri variety dominates nearly 90 per cent of the total mango area, covering an estimated 2.5 to 2.6 lakh acres (around 1.0 to 1.05 lakh hectares).
Mango production to come down this season
The sector supports the livelihoods of about 76,700 farmers across the region.
Annually, the district produces around 7.5 lakh metric tonnes of mangoes, with a significant share comprising Totapuri fruits widely used in pulp industries.
In a normal season, the average yield ranges between 4 to 6 tonnes per acre; however, adverse weather conditions can reduce productivity to as low as 2 tonnes per acre, impacting farmers’ incomes.
Adding to the farmers’ distress, pests and diseases are likely to damage around 10% of the remaining crop.
With normal yields ranging between 1 to 2 tonnes per hectare now unlikely, growers fear a significant drop in income this year. The situation is further worsened by fluctuating market prices and increasing input costs.
Speaking to TNIE, PS Sudhakar, Horticulturist at RASS, KVK Tirupati, said, “The huge decline in flowering is the main concern this season, with more than 50% reduction observed across orchards.
High temperatures after Shivaratri have caused severe stress to the crop, leading to hormonal imbalances and fruit drop.”
He added that unseasonal rains disrupted the natural flowering cycle, delaying blooms and affecting fruit setting across the district. Further, Sudhakar highlighted that even the surviving crop may face additional losses due to pests and diseases, impacting overall productivity.