KHAMMAM: Not long ago, Bhadradri-Kothagudem district was famous for its mango orchards with farmers cultivating the king of fruits in over 30,000 acres in the district. However, over the years they started switching to other crops, especially oil palm, as they began suffering losses due to natural calamities and unseasonal rains. Currently, mango is being cultivated only in 8,000 acres in the district. Those who preferred to grow the cash crop this year are a worried lot.
They were very hopeful of good yield as the flowering was good. But the unseasonal rain poured water on their hopes with the overnight rains and hailstorm damaging mango flowering. They fear that there will be a significant drop in crop yield.B Laxminarayana, a local mango farmer, said: “Until a few years ago, we used to earn Rs 1 to Rs 1.50 lakh with yield from one acre. But, unseasonal rains and climatic changes have forced us to switch to other crops.”
N Sudhakar, a farmer of Mandalapalli village in Dammapet mandal, said: “In the recent years, it has become difficult for us to sustain our selves by cultivating mango. We have been suffering huge losses and unable to even break even. We are unable to look after our families as we are not getting any kind of support when our crops get damaged in the rains.”
Those who switched to oil palm cultivation are reportedly getting good returns. A few years ago, farmers used to cultivate oil palm in about 100 acres in the district. Presently, oil palm is being cultivated in more than 50,000 acres and more farmers are showing interest in rising this crop.
District Horticulture Officer J Mariyanna attributes this change to change in the government’s policy.
“There may be several reasons for more and more farmers switching from mango cultivation to rising oil palm crops. But the primary reason the farmers are getting the right kind of encouragement from the government to take up oil palm cultivation,” he said.
Significant drop in mango cultivation
Not long ago farmers used to cultivate mango in over 30,000 acres in the district. However, over the years they started cultivating other crops, especially oil palm, as they started suffering lossed due to natural calamities and unseasonal rains. Currently, mango is being cultivated only in 8,000 acres in the district.