Maharashtra: Mango cultivators warn of decline in Alphonso output

Thane: Cultivators from the Konkan region have warned of a severe impact on Alphonso mango output this season, with yields expected to touch barely 15% of the normal volume, blaming unseasonal rain, prolonged cloud cover and pest infestations for the fruit's steep decline.Mango growers from Konkan said the climatic vagaries have been battering the region's famed Konkan mango crop, cultivated over nearly 1.8 lakh hectares in the region, at every stage — from flowering to fruiting — over the last three years, shrinking its annual output by nearly half. The cultivators, who addressed the media ahead of the 19th Mango Festival in Thane, organised by Sanskar and Konkan Vikas Pratishthan between May 1 and 10, feared this year may not be any different. "In recent years, production has steadily fallen due to erratic weather. This year, flowering was damaged in several belts, while fruit drop and pest attacks further reduced yields," said BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar who has been coordinating with the farmers and staging direct to home initiatives for farmers in the city. The scale of the decline is stark. Production, which stood at 2.5 lakh metric tonnes in 2023, generating Rs 198 crore in domestic sales and Rs 79 crore in exports, has now plunged to nearly 1.1 lakh metric tonnes, with revenues shrinking to Rs 100 crore domestically and Rs 45 crore from exports. Growers say the crisis is not new. "We have faced continuous financial distress for the last few years but have continued to battle adverse conditions year after year," said a cultivator, hoping the festival would bring in some relief for the farmers.District agriculture officials echoed the concern. An agriculture officer from Thane said shortages are likely not only in south Konkan but also in northern belts such as Shahapur and Murbad, with nearly 2,000 hectares likely to be affected. "Preliminary assessments suggest up to 60% of the crop in North Konkan may have been impacted," he said, adding that surveys are underway with experts.
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