The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Summer rain has affected mango yield

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Wednesday, Apr 16, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Summer rain has affected mango yield

Staff Reporter

It will come down to one-fourth of normal production, say farmers in Theni

THENI: Withering of tender mangoes and flowers in large scale, owing to unexpected summer rain has affected the yield and production in the district.

Growers strongly believe that mango production would come down to one-fourth of normal productivity this year, incurring unbearable loss to them.

Theni district is one of the major mango productivity centres in the State next to Dharmapuri and Salem districts.

At present, mango has been grown on over 60,000 hectares in Periakulam, Andipatti, Theni and Bodi taluks. The Government has decided to declare Periakulam as a mango export zone.

Almost 60 per cent of mangoes produced in the district has been utilised in Kerala and the rest despatched to other parts of Tamil Nadu.

Black spots were developed on mangoes affecting quality. Colour of the peel was also very dull and the size very small.

Such poor quality would not fetch better price.

Several commission agents and traders do not know how to meet the growing demand with the poor productivity .

The demand is so high and production abysmal. Even as the prices of raw mango shot sharply, this would not match the huge loss, said the farmers.

At present, raw mango has been sold for Rs.16 a kg in the whole sale market. Torrential showers had washed away fertilizers and pesticides applied to trees to boost the yield.

Meanwhile, The Theni Farmers’ Association president M. Pandian appealed to the Government to pay a compensation of Rs.5,000 per acre.

They stated that 80 per cent of the crop was damaged in the district. Without suitable compensation, farmers cannot come out of the crisis, he added.

Dindigul district

Similar trend has been prevailed in Natham, one of the major mango producing centres in Dindigul district. Commission agents and traders throng the mango farms every day to procure even small quantum of mangoes.

They offer Rs.10 for three pieces to farmers.

One fully grown tree produces 200 to 300 kg of mangoes; but it is difficult to get even 50 kg this year, said a farmer in Natham.

“We can easily count a number of mangoes in each tree. The productivity is so low,” they added.

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