Mango growers in the district are expecting a bumper crop this summer. The district is likely to produce a minimum of 35,000 tonne mangos.
Year after year, mango cultivation is on the increase in the district.
The fruit is being cultivated in about 3, 900 hectares of land in Shimoga. Encouragement given to the growers under Integrated Horticulture Development Project and National Horticulture Mission Programme are prompting more people to take up mango cultivation. The growers cater to both local markets and those outside the district. They supply the produce to Bangalore, Hubli and Dharwad.
Shikaripura and Sorab taluks in the district are highly suitable for the cultivation. More than 50 per cent of total production of mangoes in the district are from these two taluks.
Though the produce has already started arriving in markets, people are awaiting the well-ripened fruits, Basheer, a mango seller, said. The most sought-after Alphanso mangoes will start arriving in the marker in another 10 days while other varieties like Mallika and Kasi are already available in the market.
However, fungus attack owing to untimely rains is a cause of worry for growers. The Department of Horticulture has taken steps to create awareness among the growers to take precautionary measures to prevent the attack, M Vishwanath, deputy director of Department of Horticulture, said.
There are several mango growers who directly market their produce. Some even advertise through newspapers about the availability of different varieties of the produce.