Gujarat's mango produce faced a loss of up to 35% due to unseasonal rain
At the height of summer, thunderstorms accompanied by high-speed winds struck on Monday and Tuesday, causing pre-ripened fruit to fall from trees, leading to significant losses for mango farmers.
Teams from the Gujarat horticulture department, in coordination with the agricultural department and gram sevaks, began a survey from Wednesday onwards to assess the damage caused by the unseasonal weather. On Wednesday, teams comprising agriculture department officials and gram sevaks at the village level began conducting surveys in Valsad, Navsari, Surat, and Bharuch. The survey is expected to take around five days, officials said.
According to sources in the horticulture department, around 30 to 35 percent of the mango crop may have been damaged in South Gujarat.
In South Gujarat, mangoes are mainly cultivated in Valsad, Navsari, Surat, and parts of Bharuch. In Saurashtra, they are grown in Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, and Amreli, with Kachchh's Kesar variety among the last to be harvested., Mango farming spans approximately one lakh hectares in South Gujarat and around 42,000 hectares in Saurashtra, according to the state horticulture department. Last year, yields in South Gujarat ranged from 4 to 4.25 tonnes per hectare, while in Saurashtra it was slightly higher.
The unseasonal weather on Monday and Tuesday brought strong winds and light showers to several areas in South Gujarat – including Bharuch, Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Tapi, and Dangs — as well as parts of Saurashtra. Mango farmers in Saurashtra have already started harvesting fruit early to prevent further damage, say sources.
Dinesh Paladiya, Joint Director of the Horticulture Department (Surat range), told The Indian Express, 'In South Gujarat, mango is cultivated on close to one lakh hectares—over 36,000 hectares in Valsad, 33,000 hectares in Navsari, 15,000 hectares in Surat, and the remaining in Bharuch district. The major variety is Kesar, accounting for around 60 percent, while Alphonso covers about 30 percent. Other varieties include Dasheri, Langda, Rajapuri, and Totapuri. Alphonso is primarily grown in Valsad. Over 70,000 farmers in South Gujarat are involved in mango cultivation, and Alphonso and other varieties from here are exported to Western countries.'
He added, 'On Monday and Tuesday, due to high-speed winds and showers, mangoes that were ready for harvest fell to the ground. The damage assessment will be clearer after the survey. Harvesting had already begun in some areas and was expected to peak in mid-May. While production figures for this year are yet to be confirmed, we estimate losses of 30 to 35 percent due to the adverse weather.'
Bhupendra Tandel, a research scientist at Aspee College of Horticulture under Navsari Agricultural University, said, 'Farmers in Navsari have reported an unusually high number of male flowers compared to female flowers in mango orchards this season. Experienced growers can spot the difference, but we conduct awareness programs for newer farmers. Male flowers do not bear fruit.'
He continued, 'We also cultivate mangoes on our institutional farms. Due to Tuesday's high-speed winds, over 50 percent of the ready-to-harvest fruit fell from trees and were damaged. Traders can easily identify fallen fruit, and they usually refuse to buy it. Such fruit is only used to make mango pulp by processing units in Surat, Navsari, and Valsad.'
Tandel noted, 'Mango fruit is highly sensitive to climate. When daytime temperatures exceed 34 degrees Celsius and nighttime temperatures drop to around 13 degrees Celsius, male flowers outnumber female flowers.'
Speaking to The Indian Express, R H Ladani, Joint Director of the horticulture department (Rajkot range), said, 'After receiving forecasts of light showers and strong winds, we alerted mango growers in Saurashtra, who began harvesting early. About 80 percent of mango cultivation here is Kesar; the rest are other varieties. We will also begin a crop damage survey soon.'
Dashrat Desai, a 60-year-old mango farmer from Valsad, said, 'May marks the start of mango harvesting. I've been farming mangoes for 30 years, and this year's unseasonal weather, with strong winds, caused over 40 percent of the fruit to fall before harvesting. I grow Alphonso and Kesar on 70 acres, with about 4,000 trees. I had invested heavily expecting a good yield. Now, those fallen mangoes are useless. Even pulp factories have slashed their rates from Rs 1,600 per ton to Rs 350-400 per ton.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
Bengal braces for a wet week: Heavy rainfall, flooding feared in North Bengal, thunderstorms to continue in South Bengal
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Sunday said that light to moderate rain and thunderstorms are expected to affect many parts of South Bengal throughout the week. The weather office also issued a warning for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over North Bengal for the next two days, raising concerns about the possibility of localised flooding. 'The upper air cyclonic circulation over northeast Bihar & neighbourhood lay over northwest Bihar & adjoining northeast Uttar Pradesh and extended up to 4.5 km above mean sea level tilting southwestwards with height. 'The monsoon trough at mean sea level passed through Amritsar, Chandigarh, Shamli, Shahjahanpur, Lucknow, Chapra, Bankura, Canning, and thence southeastwards to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Under the presence of the above meteorological conditions and strong moisture incursion, widespread light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall activity with extremely heavy rainfall at one or two places very likely over North Bengal during the next two days,' reads the IMD bulletin. The IMD has issued a Red alert (Take Action) for Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts for Sunday, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm at isolated places. Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Coochbehar are under an Orange alert (Be Prepared), with heavy to very heavy rain (7-20 cm) forecast at isolated locations. Meanwhile, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, and Malda have been issued a Yellow alert (Be Aware), with heavy rainfall (7-11 cm) likely at one or two places. All North Bengal districts are expected to receive light to moderate rain or thundershowers at most places throughout the week. A moderate flash flood risk remains for watershed areas and hilly neighbourhoods in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar over the next 24 hours. IMD has also warned of landslide risks, localised flooding, traffic congestion, and possible damage to kutcha houses and roads. The public has been advised to avoid vulnerable areas, monitor river levels, and restrict movement in landslide-prone zones. In South Bengal, the IMD has issued a Yellow alert for most districts for Sunday. It said that Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Nadia, Murshidabad, and Bankura districts might experience thunderstorms with gusty winds (30-40 kmph) at isolated places. Some South Bengal districts are expected to receive isolated heavy rainfall (7-11 cm) in the middle of the week. Kolkata is expected to have cloudy and humid weather, with light to moderate rain or thundershowers in the next 24 hours. The maximum temperature is expected to be around 32.2 degree Celsius, while the minimum temperature may remain close to 28.4 degree Celsius. Relative humidity will stay high, ranging between 75 per cent and 96 per cent. The city recorded 009.0 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours. (Anisha Ghosh is an intern with The Indian Express)
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
Red alert for multiple North Bengal districts, Kolkata expected to receive light to moderate rainfall
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Saturday issued a red alert (take action) for rain in North Bengal districts like Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Kalimpong. Whereas, Darjeeling and Coochbehar have been put under an Orange alert (be prepared). 'Moderate flash flood risk likely over a few watersheds & neighbourhoods of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts of North Bengal during the next 24 hours,' IMD stated in a special bulletin. The weather department has issued a Yellow alert (be aware) for all South Bengal districts, which are likely to experience thunderstorms with gusty wind (30-40 kmph) accompanied by moderate rain at isolated places. Kolkata is expected to have a cloudy and humid day, with one or two spells of light to moderate rain or thundershowers. The maximum temperature in Kolkata on Saturday was 30.8 degree Celsius and the minimum was 26.8 degree Celsius. The maximum relative humidity was 98 per cent, and the minimum was 81 per cent. In its extended forecast, the IMD said Kolkata was likely to continue receiving light to moderate rain over the next few days, with chances of thunderstorms at most places in the city. (Anisha Ghosh is an intern with The Indian Express)
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
Green leafhopper returns to Punjab after several years, farmer brace for 30% loss in yields
Green leafhopper, also known as Indian cotton jassid and locally as hara tela, has returned to cotton fields across north India in unexpectedly high numbers this season after several years, damaging the crop at several places and triggering concern among farmers. Experts attribute the sudden surge in jassid population to favourable weather conditions — above-average rainfall, persistent humidity, an increase in rainy days, and continuous cloud cover, all of which have created a perfect breeding environment for the pest and can lead to a potential yield loss up to 30 per cent. Farmer Harjinder Singh from Sahnewali village in Mansa district said that the green leafhopper has attacked his entire 4-acre cotton crop, and he expects a 20–25 per cent loss in yield this year. He added that his entire village grows only cotton, and not a single farmer's field has been spared this season. Harjinder said that no official from the agriculture department has visited the village to assess the crop damage so far. When The Indian Express reached out to Punjab Director of Agriculture Jaswant Singh about the recent impact of the pest on cotton crops, he did not provide any response to multiple phone calls or messages. Fauja Singh and Kewal Singh, also from Sahnewali, reported hara tela infestation on their 25-acre and 15-acre cotton crops respectively. Manpreet Singh, a farmer from Chormar village in Sirsa district of Haryana, is facing a similar situation. His entire 17-acre cotton crop is affected, and he too expects a 20–25 per cent loss in yield. 'Our village also grows only cotton, and this year, not a single field has remained unaffected,' he said. Bittu Singh from the same village said he initially mistook the yellowing and curling of leaves as rain damage, but soon realised it was due to hara tela. 'We delayed spraying the recommended insecticides, and now only some plants show signs of recovery,' he claimed. Jagjeet Singh of Chak Hira Singhwali village in Tehsil Sangaria, Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan, said the pest has attacked his entire 45-bigha cotton crop. 'The infestation is not limited to my village — it has spread across the entire tehsil. We don't know how to save our crop,' he said. Farmers Gurmeet Singh from Singhpura village (Sirsa), Makhan Singh from Mansa, and many others have also reported similar attacks. These are not isolated cases — hara tela has been reported from numerous villages across Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, which together form the cotton belt of north India. A field survey conducted under Project Bandhan by the South Asia Biotechnology Centre (SABC), Jodhpur, has confirmed a significant rise in jassid presence in major cotton-growing districts of Haryana (Hisar, Fatehabad, Sirsa), Punjab (Mansa, Bathinda, Abohar, Fazilka), and Rajasthan (Hanumangarh, Sri Ganganagar). Infestation levels of 12–15 leafhoppers per leaf were reported — well above the Economic Threshold Level (ETL), along with visible leaf damage reaching Grade III and IV severity. 'In our survey a severe outbreak of green leafhopper was noticed in several villages of north India's cotton belt, posing a significant threat to the cotton crop across Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan. This rise in the jassid population comes after several years and is largely due to this year's prolonged wet and humid weather conditions — above-average rainfall, high humidity, and overcast skies,' Dr Bhagirath Choudhary, Founder & Director of SABC's High-Tech R&D Station in Sirsa, Haryana said, adding that this pest has returned to the fields after a gap of several years. 'The leafhopper infestation has emerged at a time when the cotton crop was showing great promise compared to the past 3–4 years,' Bhagirath said. This resurgence is significant because leafhopper, unlike the other two major sucking pests of cotton — whitefly and thrips — thrives in dry conditions, while this flourishes in wet climate. Experts say that although whitefly and thrips typically dominate headlines during drought years, this year's monsoon pattern has created a conducive environment for jassid to flourish. 'This could lead to a widespread outbreak because at some places it is already quite severe and the pest has appeared in considerable numbers and needs to be managed promptly to prevent damage,' Dr Dilip Monga, former head of CICR Regional Research Station, Sirsa, said. 'Farmers must take the advisory seriously.' Field symptoms, as recorded by the survey team, include yellowing of leaf margins, downward curling, crinkling, and bronzing — are all classic signs of jassid attack. Under the ICAR-CICR grading system, most affected fields are falling under Grade III or IV, which represents severe stress on the plant, and potential yield losses of up to 30 per cent if not managed. What farmers should know: Leafhopper profile and damage The green leafhopper, a season-long sucking pest of cotton, is a 3.5-mm pale green insect identified by its two black spots and quick, diagonal movement on leaves. Both nymphs and adults suck sap from the leaf tissue and inject toxins, leading to what experts call 'hopper burn' (blackish or brownish colour of the leaf). The damage reduces photosynthesis, stunts plant growth, and in extreme conditions, dries out leaves altogether. According to ICAR-CICR, the Economic Threshold Level (ETL) is considered breached when more than 5 out of 20 sampled plants show Grade II symptoms — minor leaf colouring and yellowing — or worse. Grade III indicates crinkling across the plant and stunted growth, while Grade IV includes severe bronzing, drying, and curling of leaves. 'Most fields surveyed this year have exceeded the ETL, making timely intervention essential,' Bhagirath said. He added that the SABC team has issued science-backed advisory steps under Project Bandhan and the High-Tech Regenerative Cotton Farming programme. 'Regular field monitoring is a must. Inspect fields at least twice a week, especially the undersides of leaves where jassids tend to hide. Look for small, green, mobile insects, and symptoms such as yellowing leaf margins and curling. For severity assessment, if more than two jassids per leaf are observed or if the damage is at Grade II or above, immediate intervention is required,' Bhagirath added. For early-stage infestation, neem oil or eco-friendly bio-insecticides are advised. In case of severe infestation, farmers should use one of the following insecticides — rotating them to prevent resistance: Tolfenpyrad 15 EC (300 ml/acre), Fenpyroximate 5 EC (300 ml/acre), Flonicamid 50 WG (80 gm/acre), Dinotefuran 20 SG (60 gm/acre), or Thiamethoxam 25 WG (40 gm/acre). Experts recommend spraying either in the early morning or late evening, ensuring thorough coverage of the leaf undersides. They also advise clearing weeds within and around the fields, as these can host jassids and other pests. Field observations have revealed widespread yellowing of leaf margins and downward curling — classic signs of leafhopper attack. Based on the ICAR-CICR grading scale, most fields have recorded Grade III to IV damage, indicating severe to extreme injury. This has made the current outbreak the worst jassid infestation in over a decade in the region.
