How Climate Change Is Killing The 'King Of Fruits' Mango In India

Indian summers are incomplete without mangoes. Eating mangoes, and sitting by the coolers, while the sun scorches outdoors, is unarguably among the fondest childhood memories of every Indian.

Stalls and carts overflow with different varieties and summer holidays are spent gorging on this yellow, pulpy fruit.

The earliest mention of mango, Mangifera indica, which means ※the great fruit bearer,§ is in the Hindu scripture dating back to 4000 BC.

The history of Mango began thousands of years ago on the Indian sub-continent.

As the mango adapted to new locales, new varieties evolved and many names were bestowed upon it such as ※apple of the tropics, ※King of fruit§ and ※Fruit of the Gods§.

But in the last few years climate change, untimely rainfall, and climate change have affected the production of mangoes.

Unseasonal winter rains can delay the flowering, and the quality of the fruit is hampered if the fruiting season overlaps with summer rains.

Temperature also plays an important role 每 neither extreme heat nor cold is desired 每 as flowers can wilt and fall off before they have a chance to mature.

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High temperature has damaged crops

This year, climate change has already affected the flowering pattern and yield of mangoes.

Usually, mango flowering starts between December and March. But higher-than-normal temperatures this year when the trees were at the flowering stage have damaged crops. Unseasonal rains also brought germs, flies, and bacteria.

India is the world＊s largest producer of mangoes, accounting for 54 per cent of global mango production.

Mango harvest this year has been "poor", says Insram Ali, president of the All India Mango Growers＊ Association.

He blamed climate change and a lack of proper flowering for this year＊s poor mango harvest, which is forecast to be a fraction of previous years.

Reduced mango production

Uttar Pradesh＊s ※mango belt§ usually accounts for nearly 4-5 million tonnes of mangoes per year, but this year there may only be 1.5 million tonnes.

※This summer＊s fruit will definitely be dearer because of less supply,§ Ali said.

Mango yield fell sharply last year as well due to a delay in flowering. Mango production has been declining since 2016 due to a lack of rain, according to growers. The Government Mango Board's Technical Committee has declared 2022 to be an "off-year" for the much-loved fruit.

In Mysuru, Varieties like Badami, Raspuri, Malgoa, Totapuri, Mallika, Dussehri, have made a name but are steeply affected by climate change.

According to the statistics available, mango is grown on over 4,500 hectares in Mysuru District as a horticulture crop. Annually, these mango-producing regions yield over 7,000 to 8,000 metric tonnes of fruit. Statewide, the horticulture experts are forecasting a yield of about 7 to 8 lakh tonnes this year while last year, the State produced around 15 lakh tonnes of mangoes.

Malihabad, famous for its Dussehri and Langda varieties of mangoes, is also home to families who have been growing the fruit for 200 years and have amazing tales to tell about their legendary ancestors and orchards. Nearly 23,589 hectare of land is engaged in mango farming in this town on the outskirts of Uttar Pradesh's capital city Lucknow.

However, this year's yield is a sorry tale.

Expected mango yield in India for 2022

Mango growers in Mahihabad cited poor flowering, diseases, and erratic water supply as a few reasons for the expected low produce and said the crop is also likely to be delayed by around 20 days and is expected to hit the market by June 20 this year.

The mango growers said poor flowering tops the issues that hampered the produce this mango season. They said temperature plays an important role in flowering, and ※this year, the high-intensity winter hampered flowering.§

In Karnataka's Dharwad region, known for Alphonso mangoes, yield is expected to be cut in half this year.

This year's yield from Dharwad is estimated to go down to 60,000 tonnes from the 1.37 lakh tonnes yield produced two years ago. A report said that the area under Alphonso mango cultivation has shrunk from 25,000 hectares in 2017 to 8,890 hectares this year.

Dharwad produces mangoes as its flagship produce under the ＆One District, One Product＊ scheme under the Prime Minister＊s Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME).

Low yield is a result of unpredictable weather such as unseasonal rain and record-high temperatures, with a rise in mercury levels.

Mango remains to be the most beloved fruit also because its season lasts for only about 100 days 每 traditionally from late March through June 每 and is vulnerable to changes in the weather.

Indians often stock up on dried mangoes, as well as chutneys, pickles, and powders. It is an essential part of Indian history, culture, mythology, and religion.

Love for mangoes since time immemorial

Ancient Indian kings planted mango trees along roadsides and highways as a symbol of prosperity.

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Much is to be credited to the Mughal patronage of horticulture which led to thousands of mango varieties that were grafted, including the famous totapuri, which was the first variety to be exported to Persia and other kingdoms.

Persian poet Amir Khusru called mango Naghza Tarin Mewa Hindustan (the fairest fruit of Hindustan) -- to be the centre of a new kingdom or an alliance.

While Akbar built the Lakhi Bagh (near Darbhanga) of 100 thousand mango trees 每 one of the earliest examples of grafting of mangoes. Folklore is that Shah Jehan's obsession with mangoes was so deep that he had his own son Aurangzeb, the then Vazir of Deccan, punished and house arrested because he had dared to have all the mangoes himself.

The "king of fruits" is now under the threat of climate change, and what can save it is timely action to preserve its rich history and taste for the generations to come.

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