An unexpectedly long spell of heatwave in Bihar this month has affected the appearance and taste of summer fruits like litchis and mangoes. Litchi and mango growers said the quality and yield of the fruits are affected due to the rising temperatures during the harvest season.
Thousands of farmers in the state have been forced to irrigate their orchards daily and spray water on trees loaded with litchi twice a day to reduce the impact of scorching sun and hot winds. But small farmers are finding it difficult to hire water tanks to save their produce.
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Heatwave conditions first affected Shahi litchi, a unique variety from Muzaffarpur, in the last week of May and early June, said Jha. But rising temperatures have been damaging China, another popular variety of litchi, too.
Source: downtoearth.org.in