Friday’s thunderstorm in the surrounding areas of Hyderabad dealt a further blow to the mango crop. “The storm damaged 30%-40% of the ready mangoes in my farm,” said Bharat Singareddy, who has a mango orchard near Manneguda near Vikarabad. The result of the storm and low crop can be seen on the road between Chevella and Vikarabad which has become silent except for birdcalls and an occasional vehicle zipping away. At the half a dozen police checkpoints, they mean business demanding to know the purpose of the visit.
Missing from the old roadway to Karnataka are the seasonal stalls selling mangoes. Not one can be spotted. “The crop has failed this year. I used to sell ripe mangoes by this time. But now I have these raw mangoes meant for pickles and chutneys,” says Ramalu, a farmer from Manneguda who has set up a stall selling vegetables. Annually, April and May see the road turn into an exotic mango market with stunning varieties and the freshest produce that is not ripened by artificial ripeners. But this year, there is no sign of India’s favourite fruit.
The area is acres of mango orchards but with very few trees laden with crop. “We have been saved by patches of vegetable gardens. The mango crop is about 25% of the annual yield. I have not smelled a ripe mango even though May has already begun,” says Anjaneyulu who has a four-acre plot in Pudur village.
Many farmers are blaming depleting ground water levels for the dip in mango yield.
On the Nagarjunsagar Highway, the situation is no different.
“There was no flowering on our Mallika trees. There was some on old trees. And we had a spell of rain, hail and wind. I am not sure what’s remaining on the trees,” says Madhu Reddy who has a mango orchard in Ranga Reddy district.
“The produce this year is low. We are also facing problem of workers for plucking the mangoes as their movement is curtailed due to lockdown. Even our exports have been hit as there are no flights. We are exploring the option of a chartered flight to Gulf to transport 60-70 tonnes after a few days,” says Ismail, a mango farmer and trader.
