Mango farmers of Krishnagiri are watching helplessly as the window for the pickle mangoes is fast closing.
Baby mangoes dangle from the branches in the vast mango plantations. Hundreds of fallen mangoes under the shade of the trees, wait to be picked from the ground. But, with COVID-19 lockdown, no farming activity could be taken up without labour. The lockdown has plummeted the prospects of mango growers, who were already battling a diseased season and a production fall.
“The markets are closed, the mango mandis are closed, and traders are unable to purchase. The fruits are hanging low, but can’t be picked and transported to the markets. The mangoes of this month are sought after by the pickle industry. Soon enough, the fruits will ripen, unfit for pickle,” says Soundar, a mango farmer.
The season had started fine, with healthy flowering in the trees by December-end and January, depending on the rainfed and the irrigated nature of the fields. But, soon the trees were hit by disease after the flowering stage. Continuous fog caused widespread disease. The district has 40,000 ha under mango crop. But now, crop in less than half the area has failed, says Mr. Soundar.
“But the Department of Horticulture has been largely absent in intervention,” alleges Mr. Soundar. “This year, farmers sprayed four rounds of pesticides, when usually two rounds would suffice. Such was the extent of disease and the desperation of the farmers to save the crop.”
Ideally then, fall in the production should have fetched better price with the demand hike and fall in supply. But that was lost now, with the pandemic.
For the mango growers, it is not an easy ride even during normal times. “First, traders fix the prices. Next, the powerful pulp industry lobby fixes the prices.” This year, with the production fall, there was a chance at decent prices. But, the pandemic defeated that possibility for the farmers here.
According to Mr. Soundar, last year this time, raw mangoes, that have a huge market for pickles went for ₹90 per kg. As late as this February, raw mangoes went for ₹60 to ₹70 per kg. A fortnight ago, it went for ₹50 per kg. This week, despite the short supply, mangoes are priced at ₹18 to ₹20 per kg.
A rainfed field yields six tonnes per acre, and a irrigated field yields four tonnes per acre. Farmers cost of cultivation per acre is about ₹15,000.
The Horticulture Department should now step in to help farmers with the transport of the fruits, says Mr. Soundar. “Farmers should be given a compensation of ₹25,000 per acre, factoring in the losses heaped on us.”
But the pickle mangoes should have to be picked by April 15, just when the lockdown might end or have a phased continuity. The pickle mangoes of this season have a huge demand in Karnataka, Kerala, Chennai and other parts of the State.