India’s top mango markets in Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad will not get Kerala mangoes at the beginning of this season. Muthalamada, the State’s mango city synonymous for Kerala mangoes across the country, has suffered the biggest crop loss in recent memory apparently because of climate change. The distraught farmers of Muthalamada expect hardly 10 to 15% yield this season.
Kerala mangoes used to be the first to hit the country’s big markets by January mid with high popularity and price. But the farmers of Muthalamada are at their wits’ end as mango orchards spread across 5,000 hectors from Chemmanampathy to Elavanchery in the foothills of the Western Ghats in Kerala’s Palakkad district are largely fruitless now.
Although the orchards had flowered in October-November, the untimely rains in early December destroyed the flowers. After that massive flower drop, the mango orchards witnessed a simultaneous vegetative and reproductive growth, bringing flowers to only some trees. And the farmers are not sure if the flowers will blossom through the summer to give a solacing yield.
‘Worst season’
“This is the worst mango season ever for Muthalamada. The climate change has not only destroyed the flowers, but also delayed them considerably. If Muthalamada can’t have its yield before March, we are done,” said farmer and exporter Hafees J.M. “All farmers here have suffered. I’m afraid we can’t have a yield of more than 15%.”
It takes 90-100 days for a blossomed mango tree to harvest. Muthalamada’s advantage used to be in early flowering, that is by October-November, and early harvesting by January and February. Mangoes from other regions usually reach the markets by the beginning of March. “If we can’t send mangoes in January and February, or the least by mid-March, our charm is gone,” said Mr. Hafees.
Muthalamada mangoes used to fetch ₹150 a kg by mid-February (₹250 for Alphonso). By March mid, the price would fall to ₹100 a kg, and by April it would be ₹60-80 a kg. After April, the price would go further down to ₹30-40 when mangoes flood the market.
Other options
The farmers of Muthalamada are considering a crop shift as an option. “We have been facing consistent loss for the last five-six years because of climate change and thrips attack. I’m seriously thinking about a crop shift to coconut,” said M. Sacheendran, who has been cultivating mangoes for the last three decades.
Mr. Sacheendran has all popular varieties of mangoes in his 10-acre orchard, but only the local variety Moovandan has given some fruit this time. “I’m sending them to Thrissur local market,” he said.
Muthalamada has such mango varieties as Alphonso, Banganapalli, Sindhooram, Totapuri or Kilimooku or Kilichundan, Kalapadi, Mallika, Naduselai, Neelam, Rumani, Malgoa and Gudadath. But Alphonso continues to be the leader bringing two to three times the price of other varieties. Banganapalli, Sindhooram, and Totapuri are the key varieties covering two thirds of the total crops.
