Click to play videoMumbai: It’s summertime and time to relish mangoes. But unseasonal rains in most parts of the country have spoiled the treat.
Mango produce across the country has drastically reduced and its quality too has suffered.
Unseasonal rains lashed the Konkan region of Maharashtra, one of the main producers of the fruit, and a majority of mangoes have suffered a fungal infection.
Says Director, Mumbai Agriculture Produce Market Committee, Balasaheb Bende, “The situation is worst this year and the yield is low, produce is bad and the price is not good.”
At this time last year more than 1 lakh mangoes had already made their way to the market. This year it's down to just 50,000.
Almost 80 per cent of the alphonso crop in Maharashtra has been infected.
But the damage isn't limited to this state alone. The mango crop across the country has been badly hit.
Rakesh Patel, a mango farmer in the Navsari district of Gujarat too is worried.
He says the quality of his yield is poor and production has dropped from 400 kg per tree to half of that.
“We are expecting a drastic reduction in crop, thanks to cyclonic conditions here,” says Rakesh.
The Saurashtra 'kesar' mango is likely to be worst hit in this region. And prices are expected to shoot up by almost 15 per cent.
Bad weather conditions have spoiled the treat in the north too.
Malhiabad near Lucknow that is famous for Dussehri mangoes too, + has a sad story to tell.
“There has been mush loss. The flowers have withered,” says a farmer, Ram Avtar.
So when you do get a bite of that mango this year, savour every tiny bit.
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