Rains, hailstorms leave mango farmers reeling in Siddipet

Out of 12,800 acres of mango orchards in Siddipet, the crop suffered damages in 5,104 acres, according to a preliminary survey, Horticulture officials said

Siddipet: The unseasonal rains have left mango farmers in Siddipet reeling under huge losses.

Out of 12,800 acres of mango orchards in the district, the crop suffered damages in 5,104 acres, according to a preliminary survey, Horticulture officials said. Almost 40 per cent to 70 per cent of the mango fruit has fallen in most of the orchards, leaving the farmers worried. The untimely rains coupled with hailstorms and gales lashed the Siddipet district on April 23, 24, and 25. Out of the horticulture crops damaged on 6,000 acres, mango crop alone accounted for 5,104 acres while the remaining 900 acres had different vegetable crops.

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Speaking to Telangana Today, Deputy Director (Horticulture) Putta Sunitha said they were conducting a re-verification to assess the actual damage. Some farmers were still coming in to report the loss of the crop.

A mango farmer from Ladunoor village in Maddur Mandal, Dosakanti Ramakrishna, said his family had a mango orchard on 18 acres. Until a week ago, they were hoping to get a profit of at least Rs.10 lakh this year. However, after the rains, they had no hope of even getting Rs 2 lakh this year because 70 per cent of the mango, that too of the Banganapalli variety, had fallen from the trees, he said, adding that the rest of the crop on the trees was also damaged due to strong hailstorms for three consecutive days.

Such intense rains during summer have not been witnessed in the last four decades, Ramakrishna said.

Mango farmers in Medak and Sangareddy districts have also suffered huge losses this year due to the unseasonal rains.