Drought Effect: Mango Output in Karnataka might fall 30 to 50% in 2017

Chitradurga: Severe drought conditions, decline in under ground water level and steep fall in humidity in the atmosphere are expected to adversely impact Mango crop in Karnataka state this year. The annual yield of Mango is very likely to fall 30% to 50% in 2017 and this will cause for steep rise in the prices of mangoes in Karnataka state reducing the purchasing power of the consumers, according to the horticulture department experts.

Mango crop is being cultivated on an area of 1,73,080 lakh hectare land annually and 16,41,165 tons of mango harvested every year in Karnataka. Kolar, Ramanagar, Tumkur, Bengaluru rural, Dharwad, Chithradurga and Chikkaballapur are the major Mango production hubs of Mangoes.

Diseases, pests, hot summer and others have destroyed huge number of mango trees in Karnataka. In some cases the growers cut down the mango trees to limit the spread of disease. Generally Mango cultivation requires less water when compared to any other type of crop in Karnataka. Being a largest Mango producer in the globe, India produces 63% of world’s total Mango output.