Mumbai: Theking of fruitsis strewn all around in the Vasai region as helpless farmers' survey their losses.Thefluctuating weather in the region, from fog to extreme heat, has taken a tollon the mangocrop.
Cultivators are worried as theking of fruitshasbeen falling off treesjustwhen they are in the process of ripening. "I have been into farming for the last 20 years. This is the first time that I have seen mangoes falling off trees in such large numbers," said a farmer, RonaldD'Souza.
Every year, farmers start getting worried when it rains before schedule. This year, they say, the damage has been caused early. There are nearly 50 big and small orchards in Vasaitaluka.
Cultivators were hoping for a bumper crop this season as all orchards in the area had been blooming with mango flowers. Within 15 days, the fruitswouldhavebeen ripefor plucking, but unexpected smog andexcessiveheatin the region damaged the orchards, said a farmer.
A variety of mangoes is grown in farms across the Vasai region. "By this time, we get rawbaby mangoesfor pickles. But this year, mangoes have been falling off trees and
cannot be used for pickles as well," said a farmer. Varieties such asRajapuri andTotapuri are grown in the region.
Farmers are worried as in most cases, the mango crop is sold at the flowering stage. A farmer said depending on the flowering of trees, traders buy the crop. "If the fruits don't growtotheir capacity,wehave to refundthe money."
Mangoes lie strewn around in the Vasai region
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