Untimely rains and a mild winter due to a western disturbance have caused worry to farmers on Gujarat’s mango crop, raising concerns about a significant drop in production and potential price rise for the “king of fruits.” South Gujarat, renowned as the state’s “mango bowl,” is particularly affected, with major mango-growing regions like Surat, Navsari, and Valsad staring at heavy losses.
“The unseasonal rains are causing heavy destruction of the standing crops just ahead of the mango season, which typically starts in the first week of May,” laments a worried farmer from Valsad. “Due to the less cold winter and the unseasonal rains and thunderstorms in March, the flowering on the mango trees was significantly lower, and many small fruits fell due to strong winds.”
