This year’s mango season was already below expectations, with delayed flowering and marginal yield. Farmers had hoped to recover losses with a decent harvest by the end of May, but Sunday’s weather shattered those hopes.
Tirupati: Heavy winds accompanied by rain on Sunday caused massive damage to mango orchards across Chittoor district, bringing down several trees and leading to the loss of nearly 550 tonnes of mangoes. The damage comes just weeks before harvest, leaving farmers in distress.
The affected mandals include Chittoor Rural, Yadamari, Gangadharanellore, Penumuru, Thavanampalle, and Bangarupalyam. Horticulture department officials estimated that over a hundred trees were uprooted, with fully grown fruits scattered across orchards.
This year’s mango season was already below expectations, with delayed flowering and marginal yield. Farmers had hoped to recover losses with a decent harvest by the end of May, but Sunday’s weather shattered those hopes.
K. Nagaraj, a farmer from Morampalle village in Penumuru mandal, said the winds were so strong that even 15-year-old trees could not withstand the force. “We lost both the crop and the trees. It will take years to rebuild”, he said.
To minimise losses, farmers transported the fallen mangoes to the Chittoor mango yard using tractors and other vehicles. However, traders offered only Rs 5,000 per tonne for the fruit, which farmers say does not even cover their transportation and labour costs. “This rate is too low. The fruit is damaged, and we don’t have the means to store or process it. We are forced to sell at a loss,” said another farmer at the market yard.
With more unseasonal weather expected, farmers are calling on the government for aid to restore orchards and ensure fair compensation for the crop loss. Officials have begun assessing the damage, but farmers worry that without prompt support, their livelihoods may not recover.
