Mango cover technology to help farmers get higher yield
Officially considered number one in mango cultivation in the State, and even competing at national level, Chittoor district produces a range of mango varieties, including Totapuri, Benishan, Mallika, and Alphonso. This contributes to the State's enviable position as a leading producer of both pulp and table varieties with an annual yield of 7.5 lakh tonnes, projecting a whopping ₹1000 crore plus turnover annually.
However, mango farming has gone through many ups and downs during the last one decade due to a series of challenges. They include pest attacks, diseases, and adverse climatic conditions in the form of heavy rains, hailstrom and gales, which have affected the yield and quality of the produce.
District Collector Sumit Kumar on Wednesday said that in order to help farmers overcome their losses and uncertainties surrounding mango cultivation, the Horticulture officials have come out with an eco-friendly solution in the form of mango covers — a thin and biodegradable iron-wire mesh which will cover each fruit on the trees. 'These covers shield mangoes from pests, birds, and adverse climatic conditions, and thereby ensure high-quality produce,' the Collector said.
District Horticulture officer D. Madhusudhan Reddy, meanwhile, said that the use of mango covers had already started giving positive results. 'Each cover, priced at ₹2 per piece in the market, will be supplied to farmers at a subsidised amount of ₹1. Department of Horticulture will bear the subsidy costs, which in turn would enhance the savings of the farmers,' he said.
'For the current mango season, with May being the peak, we have distributed over 1.92 crore covers across Chittoor district. This will benefit the mango farmers, who can withstand the losses by covering the fruits spread over 2000 acres of land,' Mr. Reddy said.
'This practice will also enhance the quality and tonnage of the produce, increasing both domestic and export sales. We have received information from the farmers that the protective covers fetched them double the price compared to the previous years without any protection on the fruit,' the official said.
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