Mango and cashew plantations in Goa are showing higher flowering levels this season following an extended cool winter, according to horticulture sector observations. The flowering pattern differs from last year and may influence yields during the upcoming harvest.
The Goa State Horticulture Corporation Ltd said the prolonged cool period supported uniform flowering across orchards. "Based on field observations and current crop conditions, we expect an overall increase of nearly 20% in mango and cashew yields across Goa this season," said GSHCL managing director Chandrhas Desai.
Growers across different production areas have reported similar field conditions. Rajesh Dhargalkar, a farmer from Siolim, said flowering levels were higher than last season. "I'm expecting a moderate crop, not a bumper one, but there will be more mangoes in the market compared to last year," he said. He linked the flowering pattern to winter weather. "Because of the severe cold, the flowering is good. Earlier, people were saying that because rainfall was excessive and very late, flowering would be delayed. But what actually happened was that flowering came early, got affected by rain, and then quickly came again without wasting much time," he said.
In Valpoi, farmer Nestor Rangel also noted differences compared with recent seasons. "The rains stopped by Oct, and in Dec we got a few days of cold temperatures followed by hot weather. That combination most probably induced profuse flowering," he told TOI.
He added that stress conditions can influence flowering in perennial crops. "Lack of watering or a spell of cold weather helps trigger flowering. The extra cold days, relative to Goa's normal conditions, compared with last year, seem to have helped," he said. Based on discussions with other growers in the area, he estimated that yields in Valpoi could be at least 50% higher than last season.
The flowering phase will now be followed by fruit set and development, with final outcomes dependent on weather conditions during the remainder of the season.
Source: Times of India
