Latest news with #Malgova
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Finding worms in mangoes? Blame it on recent climatic shifts
Bengaluru: Choosing delicious and quality mangoes from a fresh pile at the market could be a tricky business. But if you find worms in the king of fruits this summer, it may not be the fault of vendors but rather the result of changing climatic conditions affecting the mango crop, say horticulture experts. Unlike in previous years, fluctuating temperatures and sudden rainfall over the past couple of months have severely impacted mango production. The unusual increase in temperature and elevated soil moisture between Feb and April across mango-growing regions have resulted in greater pest infestation of the fruits. "The worms you find in fruit are the result of this infestation by fruit flies and thrips. But not all mangoes are infected by pests, only some arriving in the market in the middle and towards the end of the mango season," explained CG Nagaraj, managing director of Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation Ltd. While 2025 was expected to be a productive season for mangoes, climatic variations have turned it into an off-season with a notable decrease in yield. "Because of bounteous rainfall, there was delayed flowering this year. While it should flower in Dec-Jan normally, flowering was noticed in Jan-Feb because of physiological stress in the plants. During that time, the mercury levels rose abnormally up to 32-34C. This affected the pollination and setting of fruit," Nagaraj said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 굶어도 안 빠져?! '이것' 먹고 "내장지방'' 싹~ 녹였어요! 한미 면역 DIET 더 알아보기 Undo The extreme temperature and early onset of summer showers created favourable conditions for thrips and fruit flies. A technical officer from the mango corporation explained: "Usually, their larvae are present in soil. As rain in summer increases humidity levels and moisture in soil, thrips come out and feed on fruits that are setting, and lay eggs in them. They wouldn't even damage the fruit but pierce it at one point and lay eggs before disappearing. " The board has been working to control infestation by distributing pest traps and educating farmers on the methods to manage these pests. While many farmers have successfully controlled pests, the smaller and marginal ones have struggled, affecting the quality of their produce. Meanwhile, India Meteorological Department's forecast of an early monsoon is expected to cause further damage to the crop, particularly affecting late mid-season and late-season varieties such as Malgova and Neelam. Strong winds have already impacted heavy fruit varieties such as Imam Pasand, Mallika, and Malgova. Despite these challenges, early mango varieties from Ramanagara and Bengaluru Rural districts have completed their market cycles. Mid-season and late mid-season varieties are currently available, marking the peak of mango season. However, an official from the mango corporation warned that because of early onset of monsoon, the mango season might end by the first week of June, whereas it typically extends throughout the month.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Discover native mango varieties in Chennai
The Organic Shandy, Mylapore Native mango varieties reign this year says organic farmer and co-founder of Organic Shandy, PB Murali. He adds that the mango season in Tamil Nadu has been quite the disaster so far, with farmers managing only about 20% of the expected yield. However, as they are all discovering, the heritage varieties are more resilient. At his farm in Madhuranthakam, near Chennai, the harvest from over 5,000 trees spread across 60 acres, was hit due to unexpected, unseasonal rains and thunderstorms two weeks ago. Despite the poor yield in the state, Murali's store stocks several types of mango, including Banganapalli, Imam Pasand, Malgova, Alphonso, Mallika, Pathiri, and Panchavarnam, the native variety from Rajapalayam. 'This year one of our farmers harvested a local variety called Yaanathalai (translating to elephant head), which is a huge fruit weighing over a kilogram,' he says. This pivot to finding, sourcing and cultivating native varieties has been observed across the state. Murali also points out that supply is abundant from neighbouring states. 'Prices have hence, come down this year,' says Murali. While you are shopping, also pick up their mango jam, pulp and milk shakes. Orders can be placed over the phone, with home delivery available across the city. The shop is open from 10am to 8pm, and is closed on Sundays. Phone: 7708612348. Organic Farmers Market, Adyar Despite the challenges this year, some native varieties appear to be more resilient to climate conditions. 'We have hence stocked a variety called Karunkurangu, which has a dark green and very thick skin, sourced from Dindigul, and we are trying to source more native varieties,' says Anantha Sayanan, co-founder, Organic Farmers Market (OFM). He notes that the Salem region, which usually has good yield, has also been affected by unseasonal rains. 'Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri, which are major mango-producing regions in the state, were the worst hit this year, due to unexpected rainfall during the flowering season. The season had a late start, and now we are dealing with significantly less yields,' he says. At OFM, they have Imam Pasand, Banganapali, Malgoa, Alphonso, Senthuram and small quantities of Kalapadi. As their mission is to support the farmers they work with, they keep margins low, making the produce affordable. OFM is open from 10am to 6pm. They also have additional stores in various locations within Chennai, apart from Adyar. To place your order, call 6380169943. Cholayil Farm to Table, Anna Nagar Susmera Cholayil, co-founder, Cholayil Farm to Table store, is left with over two tonnes of raw mangoes, that are not suitable for sales. 'The 85 acre, Cholayil mango grove at Vengal village in Tiruvallur, with around 900 trees and nearly 45 varieties of mango, has produced just 30% of its expected yield,' she says. She adds, 'We hope to harvest remaining fruits by the end of May. ' In the meantime, she is exploring ways to process the raw mangoes into pickles and solar-dried products. 'We are expecting an extended season this year, and gradually, all varieties at our farm will be harvested by next month and available for sale,' she says. Currently, they have stocked Banganapalli, Bengalura, Alphonso and more varieties such as Kalapadi, Swarnarekha, Neelam, Malgoa, Pathiri and Rasalu, will be stocked as and when it is harvested. The store is open from 10 am to 7 pm. To pre-book your mangoes, call 7550155005. Safe Foods, Thiruvanmiyur Gopi Devarajan, who founded Safe Foods, an organic store, brings over a decade of experience in sourcing organic food products. He says he primarily sources his mangoes from farmers in Tamil Nadu as well as from the border regions of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. There has been moderate to poor yield in the Tiruvallur and Dindigul districts.'This year, the Banganapalli from Kadapa is particularly sweet, and I am looking forward to the arrival of native varieties such as Kalapadi, Nadusalai, and Sakkarakatti in a few weeks,' says Gopi. He observes that the mango season has been relatively good in the neighbouring southern states. At Safe Foods, the current stock includes Banganapalli, Imam Pasand, Senthuram, Malgoa, Alphonso, Javari, and Mallika. More varieties are expected to arrive during the first week of June. Mangoes can be prebooked between 11am to 8pm. Phone: 9790900887. reStore Organic Store, Kottivakkam At reStore, which sources mangoes from across Tamil Nadu, a wide range of varieties are currently available. These include Malgoa, Mallika, Kesar, Rasalu, Senthuram, Dasheri, Imam Pasand, Alphonso, Javari and Banganapalli are now available. 'Some farmers are yet to complete their harvest, so the mango season is likely to extend till August,' R Karthik, manager of the store, says. He is also looking forward to the arrival of native varieties such as Peether and Pathiri from Kanchipuram district. You can book your mangoes and get them home delivered. 10am to 7pm. Phone: 9840571842.
The Hindu
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
This year try a native mango variety, like Yaanathalai, Kalapadi or Nadusalai. Here is where you can find them in Chennai
The Organic Shandy, Mylapore Native mango varieties reign this year says organic farmer and co-founder of Organic Shandy, PB Murali. He adds that the mango season in Tamil Nadu has been quite the disaster so far, with farmers managing only about 20% of the expected yield. However, as they are all discovering, the heritage varieties are more resilient. At his farm in Madhuranthakam, near Chennai, the harvest from over 5,000 trees spread across 60 acres, was hit due to unexpected, unseasonal rains and thunderstorms two weeks ago. Despite the poor yield in the state, Murali's store stocks several types of mango, including Banganapalli, Imam Pasand, Malgova, Alphonso, Mallika, Pathiri, and Panchavarnam, the native variety from Rajapalayam. 'This year one of our farmers harvested a local variety called Yaanathalai (translating to elephant head), which is a huge fruit weighing over a kilogram,' he says. This pivot to finding, sourcing and cultivating native varieties has been observed across the state. Murali also points out that supply is abundant from neighbouring states. 'Prices have hence, come down this year,' says Murali. While you are shopping, also pick up their mango jam, pulp and milk shakes. Orders can be placed over the phone, with home delivery available across the city. The shop is open from 10am to 8pm, and is closed on Sundays. Phone: 7708612348. Organic Farmers Market, Adyar Despite the challenges this year, some native varieties appear to be more resilient to climate conditions. 'We have hence stocked a variety called Karunkurangu, which has a dark green and very thick skin, sourced from Dindigul, and we are trying to source more native varieties,' says Anantha Sayanan, co-founder, Organic Farmers Market (OFM). He notes that the Salem region, which usually has good yield, has also been affected by unseasonal rains. 'Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri, which are major mango-producing regions in the state, were the worst hit this year, due to unexpected rainfall during the flowering season. The season had a late start, and now we are dealing with significantly less yields,' he says. At OFM, they have Imam Pasand, Banganapali, Malgoa, Alphonso, Senthuram and small quantities of Kalapadi. As their mission is to support the farmers they work with, they keep margins low, making the produce affordable. OFM is open from 10am to 6pm. They also have additional stores in various locations within Chennai, apart from Adyar. To place your order, call 6380169943. Cholayil Farm to Table, Anna Nagar Susmera Cholayil, co-founder, Cholayil Farm to Table store, is left with over two tonnes of raw mangoes, that are not suitable for sales. 'The 85 acre, Cholayil mango grove at Vengal village in Tiruvallur, with around 900 trees and nearly 45 varieties of mango, has produced just 30% of its expected yield,' she says. She adds, 'We hope to harvest remaining fruits by the end of May. ' In the meantime, she is exploring ways to process the raw mangoes into pickles and solar-dried products. 'We are expecting an extended season this year, and gradually, all varieties at our farm will be harvested by next month and available for sale,' she says. Currently, they have stocked Banganapalli, Bengalura, Alphonso and more varieties such as Kalapadi, Swarnarekha, Neelam, Malgoa, Pathiri and Rasalu, will be stocked as and when it is harvested. The store is open from 10 am to 7 pm. To pre-book your mangoes, call 7550155005. Safe Foods, Thiruvanmiyur Gopi Devarajan, who founded Safe Foods, an organic store, brings over a decade of experience in sourcing organic food products. He says he primarily sources his mangoes from farmers in Tamil Nadu as well as from the border regions of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. There has been moderate to poor yield in the Tiruvallur and Dindigul districts.'This year, the Banganapalli from Kadapa is particularly sweet, and I am looking forward to the arrival of native varieties such as Kalapadi, Nadusalai, and Sakkarakatti in a few weeks,' says Gopi. He observes that the mango season has been relatively good in the neighbouring southern states. At Safe Foods, the current stock includes Banganapalli, Imam Pasand, Senthuram, Malgoa, Alphonso, Javari, and Mallika. More varieties are expected to arrive during the first week of June. Mangoes can be prebooked between 11am to 8pm. Phone: 9790900887. reStore Organic Store, Kottivakkam At reStore, which sources mangoes from across Tamil Nadu, a wide range of varieties are currently available. These include Malgoa, Mallika, Kesar, Rasalu, Senthuram, Dasheri, Imam Pasand, Alphonso, Javari and Banganapalli are now available. 'Some farmers are yet to complete their harvest, so the mango season is likely to extend till August,' R Karthik, manager of the store, says. He is also looking forward to the arrival of native varieties such as Peether and Pathiri from Kanchipuram district. You can book your mangoes and get them home delivered. 10am to 7pm. Phone: 9840571842.
The Hindu
14-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Mangoes 2025: Tamil Nadu farmers on the season's specialities
A squirrel has scooped out a tiny hole in an Imam Pasand mango that farmer K Baskar has set aside. 'I had left the box outside just a few minutes ago!' he chuckles. Animals and birds make away with a lot of the produce at his 40-acre organic farm that borders Dindigul district. But he works his way around this, given that his farm at Andipatti in Tiruppur district also abuts the Anamalai Tiger Reserve. Baskar grows Alphonso, Imam Pasand, Neelam, and Malgova varieties on his 800 mango trees. Farm hands are harvesting the fruits from this orchard one summer afternoon using a long pole bearing a scissors-like contraption that snips the mango from the branch. It falls into a small net right beneath, and the fruit is transferred to a waiting basket below. Every mango is dealt with care — after all, Baskar waited a year for this moment. 'This year, I'm seeing only 30% of yield,' says the 48-year-old, adding that he lost over 500 kilograms of mangoes a few days ago due to an unexpected gust of heavy winds. But he is keeping his chin up, packing off mangoes to customers across India. 'Mangoes are extremely sensitive to rains,' he says, as we make our way through prickly undergrowth towards a tree laden with Alphonso mangoes. 'If there is too much rain, the fruit might not hold much sugar content.' The Alphonsos are a mix of dark and light green, with a few showing smudges of orange. The smell — a heady combination of earth and rain with sweetish undertones — is an indicator that the fruits are ready to be harvested. According to the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University's Agritech Portal, India ranks first in the world among mango producing countries. In Tamil Nadu, major mango growing districts are Dindigul, Theni, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Vellore, and Thiruvallur. Salem, known for its Gundu variety, is yet another mango hub. Farmers report that the season has been in its peak over the past 15 days in the region. According to Sathish Ramasamy, who owns 35 acres in Magudanchavadi, Salem, they initially faced issues with quality. Right now though, their fruits are in great form. Sathish, who runs the company Salemmango, sells online and has customers across India. 'I do not use chemicals since our farm is located in a rain-fed area,' he says, adding that mango farmers from near and far visit his farm to understand how it is possible to grow mangoes organically. Friends and software professionals Shyam Sembagoundar and Siva Sankar, who hail from Salem and work in the US, help Salem mango farmers find customers through their online venture Namkalam. 'We route customers directly to farmers,' explains Shyam. He adds that farmers who they work with drop off produce at the Salem market. The two of them then package the fruits to ship to people across Tamil Nadu, and offer a holistic approach to customer service complete with a refund if there are issues. The idea, Shyam explains, is to help farmers sell their produce for a good price. While mango trees are known to be hardy, climate change is making things difficult for farmers by springing up unseasonal rains. Those following organic methods find it even more challenging. But they are dealing with the problem with techniques such as biological sprays. Ajay Kuruvila, a farmer based in Dindigul, curates mangoes from organic farmers from the district, supplying to organic stores in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Madurai. Ajay explains that once the mangoes are harvested with their stalks intact, they are set upside down to let the sap flow, washed in alum, and then packed. 'This is so that the fruit does not develop black blemishes once it ripens,' he says. Apart from Sappattai, Malgova, and Imam Pasand, farmers in the region are also harvesting Karunkurangu, a large, sweet variety, according to Ajay. 'In two weeks, Mallika and Neelam will start arriving, followed by Kasalattu towards the end of the season in June,' he says. This spacing-out of varieties is Nature's way of letting us try a little bit of everything. However, climate change is shaking up this cycle as well. In Rajapalayam district, known for Sappattai, KS Jaganatha Raja, who owns 12 acres by the foothills of the Western Ghats, says that fruits have been rendered with black spots due to rains. 'This has affected their pricing at the market,' says Jaganatha. He says that some people do resort to spraying ethylene gas to ripen fruits since they are harvested ahead of time fearing rains and winds, but they do not do so. Jaganatha has revived several rare varieties of mangoes at his farm, selling saplings that he propagates through the grafting technique at his nursery. Among such varieties is Mohandas, of which he has just one tree in his orchard. Jaganatha grew excited when the lone tree bore over 2,500 fruits last year. 'I went to see it every day, thinking I will pluck the mangoes once they are mature enough,' recalls the 69-year-old. But then one night, most of them were gone. 'A herd of elephants ate them up,' he says. They had left some at the high reaches behind, that Jaganatha hoped to save. 'But they came back two days later to finish them too,' he says. 'They shook the entire tree to empty it of fruits.' As much as he is heartbroken, Jaganatha has moved on. He says, 'They were probably very hungry.'
