The nationwide lockdown to contain COVID-19 has shattered Muthalamada, the Mango City of Kerala, which was already struggling in the wake of a climate change that followed the 2018 and 2019 floods. The shutdown is the last nail in the coffin for the 500-odd mango farmers and traders of Muthalamada, whose crops have been reduced by two-thirds by the emergence of a new thrips, locally called ‘elappen,’ in the last three years.
The lockdown has halted the mango movement to north Indian markets as well as foreign export. Delhi has been the main market, followed by Ahmedabad and Mumbai. About 90% of the 20,000 tonne mangoes from Muthalamada reach those markets every year. But this year, with the production having plummeted, hardly 4,000 tonnes of mangoes have reached the markets so far.
“It is the worst season ever in my memory,” says M. Sachindran, a farmer who owns 10 acres of orchards. He is one of the farmers who have been cultivating mango trees in Muthalamada since the entire area spread over 4,500 hectares witnessed a crop shift from groundnut to mango less than half a century ago.
Peak time
The COVID-19 crisis hit Muthalamada at its peak season. “The blow came when the business was peaking by mid-March. The loss will be huge,” says Hafees J.M., a young trader and exporter, adding loads of mangoes got stranded midway during the lockdown.
Ripe mangoes have begun to fall off the trees with harvesting coming to a halt. Although vegetables, considered an essential commodity, are being transported, fruit business has come to a halt. Mangoes find very few buyers at vegetable shops. “In times of curfew, vegetable is considered essential and fruit, a luxury,” says Mr. Hafees.
Special grade
Kerala mangoes are the first to hit the market when the season begins in December-January. “Our mangoes also enjoy a special grade as we take better care of them while harvesting and packing,” says Mr. Sachindran.
Muthalamada has all major mango varieties such as Alphonso, Banganapalli, Sindhooram, Totapuri or Kilimooku or Kilichundan, Kalapadi, Mallika, Naduselai, Neelam, Rumani, Malgoa, and Gudadath. But Alphonso continues to be the leader bringing two to three times the price of other varieties. Banganapalli, Sindhooram and Totapuri are the key varieties covering two-thirds of the crops.
More facilities
Mr. Sachindran says unless the government provides better technical knowhow and facilities like ripening chambers, the Mango City would suffer in a big way. Minister for Agriculture V.S. Sunil Kumar announced on March 11 that the government would give a push to the Muthalamada Mango Park project with facilities for processing, packing and exporting. It would be funded by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board. In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis and ensuing economic slump, it needs to be seen what priority will be given to the Mango Park.