The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Unseasonal rain spares mango farmers

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Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Unseasonal rain spares mango farmers

B. Madhu Gopal

— Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

Nature’s bounty: A tree full of mangoes in Visakhapatnam.

VISAKHAPATNAM: Thanks to early flowering, the unseasonal rain hasn’t dampened the spirits of mango farmers in the district this year. With the damage due to premature showers being minimal, the price of the ‘King of fruits’ is unlikely to hit the sky this year.

“Mango is being cultivated in 19,000 hectares in the district. Nakkapalli, Kotauratla and Padmanabham mandals account for a majority of the area under cultivation. Of the19,000 hectares, late flowering occurred in only about 3,500 hectares causing little damage”, Horticulture Officer G. Satish told The Hindu on Tuesday.

The early showers benefited the crop in the remaining extent as the fruit had already formed by then. Mango yield alternates between high and low every year.

This year is an ‘off year’ for mango in the district. This has also negated the effect of the unseasonal showers on the crop.

Disease control measures like using a mixture of Endosulfan and Carbondizum have helped in checking spot disease and control of pests.

“Traders are not evincing interest in the export of mangoes to other countries in view of the strict regulations and prior certification requirements.

A decade ago ‘Banganapalli’ and ‘Suvarnarekha’ varieties used to be exported from the district. Traders are now content with export of these varieties to the national capital,” he said.

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