Late winter, flowering may hit harvest of mango: Agri director

Panaji: The mango and cashew crops in Goa are facing a difficult season ahead, with adverse winter conditions and delayed flowering threatening to impact harvests and yields. According to agriculturists, the outlook for both crops appears to be bleak, with delayed flowering and poor pollination contributing to concerns about productivity.

“The absence of adequate cold stress during the typical winter months of December and January, coupled with untimely rains in Oct and Nov, have disrupted the natural cycle of flowering for both crops,” said director of agriculture Nevil Alphonso.

Explaining that the delayed onset of cold weather followed by a mild Feb have led to a delayed flowering season for mangoes, Alphonso said a prolonged fruiting season looms. This may impact the overall harvest timeline, he said. Similar worries surround the cashew crop.

“The fruiting season for both mango and cashew will therefore be delayed. As of now, we are not expecting a bumper crop,” Alphonso said.

However, even the flowering process is ridden with troubles owing to early morning dew this month affecting the process of pollination. “The absence of conducive conditions for pollination has heightened the vulnerability of fruit flowers to pests,” Alphonso said. “These pests pose a significant threat to crop yields, as they bore into the fruits, lay eggs, and ultimately render the ripened fruit unfit for consumption.”

He further said that the department is providing fly traps at subsidised rates to farmers, aiming to mitigate the impact of fruit flies and other pests on mango and cashew crops.

Farmers too are seeking scientific solutions. “Mango and cashew farmers in Goa brace themselves for a tough season year after year. There is a need for resilience and adaptive strategies within the agricultural sector if we intend to see a change,” a Bicholim-based farmer said. “We can tackle problems only with the help of scientists and agricultural experts to ensure the sustainability of mango and cashew cultivation in Goa.”


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