Farmers extremely positive of netting a good harvest
PANAJI
The not so severe conditions in the winter flowering season and the relatively milder dew and fog experienced this year has raised hopes of a better yield of the cashew and mango seasonal crop for Goan horticulturists this year.
Erratic climatic conditions last year had ruined the season for these cashew and mango growers due to heavy fog and fluctuating atmospheric temperatures in the crucial flowering and fruiting period.
Several farmers The Goan spoke to were extremely positive of netting a good harvest citing the favourable climatic conditions.
The king of fruit as mango is often referred to and cashew are both the most valuable summer season cash crop for these growers and contribute a sizeable chunk of their annual income.
According to botanist Miguel Braganza, the mild rains experienced in December helped the cashew crop as flowers and leaves are mixed on the new shoots.
The December rain, however, may have been a cause of damage to the mango crop as some trees have produced new leaves and in mango new shoots produce either leaves or flowers and not both. said Braganza a former agriculture officer with the government of Goa.
Another farmer from Sattari is with his fingers-crossed saying there is fear lurking around that the phenomenon of ‘fruit drop’ wherein fruits drop prematurely for reasons yet unknown, may affect the crop.
Also, very cold mornings and extremely hot afternoons, a pattern of weather experienced for a few days last week is another adverse factor for the cashew crop, said the Sattari farmer.
Almost all were unanimous that cashew harvesting will commence in a week or two while mangoes will take at least another month.
Meanwhile, the crop in some mango trees is delayed and the fruit that has arrived in the Goan markets is coming from across the border in the Vengurla and Kudal areas of Maharashtra, sources said.
Mango prices will therefore remain on the higher side just as was the case last year in February and early March, the sources said..
In Sindhudurg district particularly in areas like Vengurla, Kudal, Sawantwadi and Dodamarg, mango growers have developed plantations with grafts from Goa specifically to cater to the Goa market. The much sought after mango variety is called “Goa Mankur” in that part of the Konkan.
