It seems that inclement weather and unseasonal rain in the past couple of years have shattered the dreams of building a global brand for 'Bengaluru mangoes'. Buoyed by the copious flower bloom in December-January, the Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation (KSMDMC) had estimated yield of 1.2-1.4 mln tons.
However, from February to April, the sudden spike in temperature, unseasonal rain and increased humidity wiped out nearly half the yield. Technical officers at KSMDMC are now putting it at 700-800,000 tons.
C.G. Nagaraju, joint director of horticulture and MD of KSMDMC: "It is disastrous for farmers in the region for the third consecutive year. The rain has struck exactly at the time of harvest and crashed the dreams of many. Sudden rain and high moisture content triggered fungus infection, and a sharp temperature spike has led to withering of the flowers."
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com