Sweet season on cards for mango lovers in Tamil Nadu
As against the usual flowering period of December and January, the bloom started only in February due to rains, thereby extending the mango season. Farmers are cheerful in expectation of a bounty this year and so are the fruit lovers
Freshly harvested mangoes
COIMBATORE: It’s most likely to be a sweet season for mango lovers as the fruit may come in bounty with the sprawling orchards in the Western region in full bloom.
“Compared to previous years, the blooms are high in mango trees for this season due to favourable climatic conditions. Last year ended with disappointment with just 10 per cent of the usual yield coming and their prices too ruled high. But our hopes are high for a bumper harvest this season due to good flowering,” A Jeyapal, president of Salem Mango Fruit Vendors Association.
It’s usual for a good mango harvest year to alternate with a poor-yielding year. “Such a pattern, however, changed with the yield staying low over the last few years due to continuous dry spells. It was last in 2020, the yield of mangoes was in bounty,” say farmers.
As against the usual flowering period of December and January, the bloom got off to a delayed start only in February, this year due to rains. Therefore, in all likelihood, it may be an extended mango season as flowering continues in the orchards and peak season may come in May.
Farmers say that rather than other varieties, the flowering in Alphonso trees looks good in this season. “Some mango varieties have started to reach shops in minimal quantities. They are procured directly from farmers without any bulk arrivals to the market,” said J Sreenivasan, a mango trader.
On the flip side of the expected good harvest, the farmers fear they may not get reasonable profit for their produce. “For the convenience of farmers, the government could arrange free transportation of mango loads to the market as chances of reaping better profit look remote due to the awaited bumper harvest,” he added.
Mangoes harvested in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts were mainly meant for pulp production; while those from Salem have a unique taste and are favoured by people across Tamil Nadu.
Besides preferred mango varieties like ‘malgova,’ ‘alphonso’, ‘senthoora’, and ‘nadusalai’ are grown in Tamil Nadu, while some north Indian varieties like ‘kesar’ and ‘rasalu’ mangoes are also grown in these districts.
