23-04-2025
King of fruits is back! Quality good, but yield below expectations in Karnataka, say farmers
Bengaluru: Mango season has begun in Karnataka, with early varieties like Sindhura, Badami, and Kapuri already brightening local markets. However, farmers and experts describe this year's harvest as a mixed bag — the quality is good, but the yield is lower than expected.
Despite hopes for a strong "on-year" in mango production, growers estimate the yield at only 8–10 lakh metric tonnes, down from the usual 12–15 lakh tonnes. Unpredictable flowering patterns and high temperatures during fruit setting, along with pest issues, have impacted the crop.
Karnataka has around 1.5 lakh hectares under mango cultivation and over 2.8 lakh mango farmers. Key mango-growing districts include Kolar, Ramanagara, Chikkaballapur, and Tumakuru in the south, which account for about 60% of the state's production, while the northern districts — particularly Belagavi, Dharwad, and Haveri — make up the rest.
Early-season mangoes from Ramanagara are available in the market, but Kolar, which produces nearly two-thirds of Karnataka's mangoes, is lagging due to late flowering. According to sources, 35% of the total is consumed within the state, 29–35% is sold in other states, 25% is lost post harvest, and only about 1% is exported. Despite this year's medium yield, the state is not importing mangoes as the current production is sufficient only to meet local demand.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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CG Nagaraju, managing director,
Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation
Ltd (KSMDMCL), said, "We had early flowering that gave a good crop, but the second round of flowering in Feb was hit hard by the heat and sudden rain. The overall quality is better due to low pest incidence, but the yield is average. We will be getting the Karnataka production into markets by June."
But farmers say otherwise. They say the last two years saw poor harvest, and this year was no better, despite better quality, as there was a drop in the output due to the delayed flowering and diseases.
Bashir Ahmed, a mango farmer with a 5-acre farm in Srinivaspur of Kolar district, said, "We lost at least 10% of the crop due to recent rain. Besides that, 30% of the crop was lost to thrips disease. On average, where an acre was supposed to give at least two to three tonnes, it is giving only 1 tonne."
N Chinnappa Reddy, president of Kolar District Mango Growers Association, reported a sharp decline of 35–40% in this year's yield. "In many areas, flowering was delayed until March. This, along with the spread of thrips disease, worsened the situation. We were expecting around 10 lakh tonnes, but it looks like we'll only manage about 5 lakh tonnes from 32,000 acres in Kolar," he said.
A senior scientist from the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research added, "In areas like Chikkaballapur, high temperatures and poor fruit retention have further reduced the yield. It's also an off-year in several places, so farmers shouldn't anticipate high profits. And if it rains in May, fruit drop could become another major concern."
BOX:
Postal service to deliver mangoes
KSMDMCL has reintroduced its Mango Post service in collaboration with India Post, enabling the booking and delivery directly from farmers to consumers. The service was launched at general post office Tuesday.
"This initiative actually started before Covid pandemic, but it gained significant traction during lockdown. It has now become a regular part of our operations," said CG Nagaraju, MD, KSMDMCL. "Farmers are managing every aspect — from packing to logistics and final delivery. This direct-to-consumer approach has not only helped reduce post-harvest losses, but also secured better prices for growers."
