China: Damage from Sarika storm: a hard blow for mangoes

Last week, the 21st typhoon of the year 'Sarika' came to land near Wanning city in Hainan. When the storm reached land, the highest wind speeds, measured near the centre, were 14 Beaufort. Even though the people had already made preparations against the wind, the typhoon still performed a vicious attack on the island that lasted 14 hours, leaving a trail of severe damage in its wake.

Apart from the Qiongzhong green oranges that were about to be harvested, the young fruits of the mango trees were also severely damaged. It is feared that this will influence the mango market, especially for the early-ripe varieties. Many orchards are strewn with small fruits and broken branches of the trees that have been ripped off by the wind and rain. The mangoes that are still on the branches are riddled with bruises. Unblemished fruits are a rare exception.

Fallen fruits scattered on the ground

Young branches are snapped off by the typhoon

The mangoes that remain on the trees are severely blemished

According to the farmers, the mango trees are dwarfed plants for concentrated cultivation, so the tree tops can be penetrated easily. In general, the stormy weather doesn't have a big influence. But the wind speeds of the Sarika typhoon were just too great and they lasted a long time. Because the mangoes were also in their first stages of fruit bearing, the damage is not to be underestimated. After the typhoon, not only will the quantity of mangoes for the 2016-2017 season be reduced, but their duration on the market and the quality offered will also be affected. The mango buyers in Hainan have to pay close attention to the circumstances after the disaster in the orchards that supply the shops. They will have to respond ahead of schedule.

On the upside, many farmers had the good sense to invest in extra protection for their orchards. The damage caused by the typhoon will be evaluated by an insurance company and compensated adequately. Damage assessment and claims settlement is currently underway.

Source of photos: Sanya Mangoes