Mangoes may hit market early as growers bank on dry spell

Deficit rainfall has been bad news for major food crops in the state this year, but mango, the king of fruits and one of the main draws of the summer, seems to be sitting pretty. 

A dry spell accompanied by a rise in temperatures has led to the early flowering of the trees, according to officials from the horticultural department, raising the possibility of the fruit hitting the market as early as March. Growers are hopeful of reaping a good harvest if the dry spell continues for two more months.

Mangoes are grown in over 1.6 lakh hectares in Karnataka, with the average mango yield being around 10 lakh to 14 lakh metric tonnes per year. The production crashed to 7 lakh to 8 lakh tonnes over the last few years due to heavy rains. The dry spell is expected to boost the yield up to 15 lakh tonnes next year.

The flowering of mango trees, which generally occurs in Jan, has already commenced in Kolar, the largest mango producer district in Karnataka, and other major producers of the fruit like Ramanagar, Dharwad and Davangere. 

Kolar horticulture department deputy director Kumaraswamy said the crop yield might be hit if there are heavy rains in January or February, but otherwise they are on course to pocketing a bumper yield.

Over 70 per cent mango cultivating areas in Kolar district are rainfed and the remaining 30 per cent areas have irrigation facilities, with the minimum yield per hectare being 8,500 tonnes.

The highest grown variety in the district is Totapuri followed by Mallika, Alphonso, Badami, etc. The fruits are exported to Europe and Arab countries. Srinivaspur taluk tops the district in mango cultivation with 26,000 hectares followed by Mulbagal.

Santhebennnur in Channagiri taluk produces the Alphonso variety on a large-scale and the fruits are sent to Pune, Delhi and other places.

Dharwad, too, grows alphonso. Deputy director of horticulture department Kashinath Bhadrannavar told DH the variety is grown on over 8,400 hectares in the district.

Basavarajappa Nanjundappa, a grower, is hoping to harvest a good yield of alphonso and badami varieties, though the weather has got him a bit anxious.

“I have been growing mangoes on 8 acres of land in Nagenahalli village, Channagiri taluk, of Davangere district for more than a decade,” he said, worrying that the cloudy weather for the past few days would harm the flowering period and reduce the yield. 

His wish: a dry spell for another two months, as it would fetch mango growers like him a bumper crop.