Unseasonal rains may affect mango quality

TIRUPATI: Unseasonal rains that have hit parts of Varadaiahpalem, Tada, Sullurpet, Puttur and Yerpedu areas of Tirupati district, apart from some regions of SPSR Nellore and Prakasam districts may affect the quality and quantity of mango yields.

With the advent of sudden rains in the southern districts of Andhra Pradesh, hundreds of mango farmers are worried a lot. In Tirupati district, Varadaiahpalem Mandal has already received 52.2 mm of rain, followed by Tada 36.2 mm and Sullurpet 31.4 mm. In Nellore district, Seetharamapuram received 32.2 mm of rain, while Ulavapadu recorded 21.6 mm, Varikuntapadu 18.6 mm and Kandukur 14.6 mm of rain. Several areas in the Prakasam district too received rain.

As a result, mango trees have lost their blossoming flowers, apart from the small-sized mango fruit. Growers are also worried that the unseasonal rains may reduce mango quality.

N. Narayana Harish, a mango grower from Tirupati Rural, said: "Mango supplies will increase in the market in the coming days. But there will be a decline in quality and demand. As a result, prices may fall," he observed.

During the next 48 hours, Meteorological Department has predicted further rains accompanied by high-speed winds in East Rayalaseema districts. Severe weather conditions may lead to further shedding of the blooms, thereby inflicting irreversible damage.

As per horticulture experts, last year's mango output declined due to late blooming and fruiting, high use of pesticides during the first spray, and increase in the number of male flowers. This year, however, the rainy season had been good, followed by a mild winter. This resulted in abundant blossoming in mango trees. While producers had been anticipating a good output, unseasonal rains have raised concerns.

Mangoes are grown over 2.76 lakh acres in Chittoor, Tirupati and some parts of Annamaiah districts. The delicious fruit is shipped not just across the country but internationally.

Chittoor's Totapari variety mangoes attract traders from neighbouring Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, as well as Maharashtra, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh.