A vendor selling mangoes in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR
The intermittent rain and forecast for more in Telangana for the next few days is a cause for concern for mango farmers in Mahabubnagar, as the prominent varieties of the fruit cultivated in the State are harvested in the third and fourth week of May.
Usually, water supply to the trees is stopped by May 1. But, when it rains in this month, the trees or plants absorb water leading to an increase in water content in fruits. This decreases the sweetness of mangoes, said A. Bhagwan, Registrar of Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University.
Harvest season for 3 varieties
Dasheri mango is harvested by May first week. Himayat, Banganapalli and Kesar are harvested by month-end. Since this is the harvest season for mangoes, rains can impact a lot, say farmers.
Fruit flies, which lay eggs on the fruits, and honey-hoppers are also a bigger problem, said Sudhakar Rao Kethireddypally, who has a mango Farm in KethirededyPally of Balanagar Mandal in Mahabubnagar.
Traders cashing in
Since rain is predicted in the State in the next few days, some farmers are thinking of harvesting them soon. When a lot of farmers do this, supply increases in the market and brings down the price.
“The moment I called a trader, he said a lot of farmers called him,” said Muralidhar Reddy, a farmer from Balanagar. Government should take steps to ensure we get the minimum price for the produce, he said.
If a farmer chooses to harvest mangoes after rain, they have to be careful in checking when it ripens. A mango harvested when it is dry will last for eight days. And, when harvested after rain, they begin to rot after four to five days. So traders have to be cautious and plan the sale accordingly.
Mr. Bhagwan said that since this is peak harvest season for Banganapalli variety, supply increases and brings down the prices. Some farmers harvest up to June 10 or later, hoping for better prices.
Though there is a forecast of early onset of monsoon, Mr. Reddy hoped that rains would stop in the first week of June and there would be sunny days.
Published – May 22, 2025 08:27 PM is
