Mango lovers will have to wait till mid-April to relish the highly prized Alphonso variety, as unusual weather patterns have impacted its flowering cycle in the key producing regions in the state of Maharashtra.
Normally, Alphonso mangoes would start hitting the market by early March. But with only 5 per cent of the trees in the coastal districts where it is grown.
Normally, about 20 per cent of the trees start flowering by December. According to B.R. Salvi, a horticulture scientist with the BS Sawant Agriculture University, the flowering has been delayed due to climate change. This year, the rains in the Konkan belt were heavy and for a prolonged period. Further, the withdrawal of monsoon was delayed by two weeks.
For mango farmers who were looking forward to good pickings after facing a harsh summer last year, when their produce stockpiled due to the lockdown and led to the expensive fruit rotting away, indications are that 2021 will be challenging as well.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
Photo source: Dreamtime.com
