Mango Farming Challenges

I am from Bihar, in our state we mostly get Langra and Dussehri mangoes. My family said that this season the production is less because of changing weather conditions. Sometimes there is too much sunny weather and sometimes unexpected rain. This causes the quality of mangoes and taste. Mangoes in the market look good from outside, but from inside they are rotten. Because of high prices, many poor families buy fewer mangos only.

— Rohan Shinde · Boorakunte, Sarjapura, Bengaluru Urban

Here in Karnataka, varieties like Badami and Raspuri are very popular. The taste of Raspuri mango this year is good, but there is not enough quantity of naturally ripened mangoes. Due to climate changes and water shortages, many farmers have suffered losses in mango business. This year mango prices are higher than last year, making it difficult for some families to buy regularly. Most people prefer naturally ripened mangoes because they taste better. Nowadays, the taste of mangoes is becoming worse, and prices are still rising.

— Rohan Shinde · Boorakunte, Sarjapura, Bengaluru Urban

In my native village in Maharashtra, the famous mango varieties are Kesar, Alphonso (Hapus), Rajapuri, and Pairi. This year, the quality is not as good as before because of irregular rain and high temperatures. Many mangoes fell before they were fully grown. Nowadays, traders are selling chemically ripened mangoes, which ruins the taste of mango. The prices in the market are high, but farmers are still not getting a fair share. Middlemen earn more than farmers. Good-quality Alphonso mangoes have become expensive for common and poor families like us, getting good quality, natural ripened Alphonso mangoes have become expensive.

— Rohan Shinde · Sarjapura, Bengaluru Urban, Karnataka

I have been living in this area for more than twenty years, and I feel mango seasons have changed a lot. Earlier, the fruits used to arrive in large quantities and were very flavorful. Around Kuthambakkam, we usually see Banganapalli, Senthooram, and Malgova varieties. This year, the quality is mixed. Some mangoes are excellent, but many are smaller than usual. The extreme summer temperatures and irregular rainfall seem to have affected production. Prices are also higher than what we used to pay a few years ago. Mangoes are still available everywhere, but many people are buying less because of the cost.

— Sanjukta Chanda · Kuthambakkam, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu

My cousin- college student"The mango quality this year has been uneven ", some batches of Himsagar were excellent and others were disappointing. But the issue I keep thinking about is how climate change is quietly affecting the mango season itself. The season feels shorter, the yields are inconsistent, and farmers are bearing the uncertainty. My message to our local elected representative would be this ", please advocate at the state level for agricultural support programs that help small mango farmers in Bengal adapt to changing weather patterns. Subsidised irrigation, crop insurance, better weather advisory systems ", these are things that require policy attention. We enjoy mangoes every summer without thinking about the farmer who grew them. It is time our representatives started thinking about that too."

— Yuvikaa Agarwal · South Dumdum, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal

In my area, Dasheri and Bambaiya are popular mango varieties. This year, the mangoes are not as good as usual. I think the extreme heat may have affected both the quantity and quality of the mangoes.

— Sahil Singh · Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

Response 1: Here in Kannur we mostly get Neelam and Moovandan varieties. This season the quality is just not good, they're ripening too quickly because of the heat and the taste is not there. I bought a dozen last week and half of them were overripe by the next day. Prices are also higher than usual this year.Response 2: Moovandan is the most common mango here and usually it's so good but this year it's disappointing. My neighbour has a mango tree in his compound and even those fell early this season. The ones in the market look okay from outside but inside they're fibrous. Feels like the heat just ruined the whole season.Response 3: We get Neelam and Chandrakaran mangoes in Kannur mostly. This year the season was very short by the time you got used to seeing them in the market they were gone. My mother says the trees are not flowering properly because the weather has been so unpredictable. Prices went up a lot too, almost double compared to two years back.

— Shalin Sanish · Kumbam, Kannur, Kerala

This summer has been hotter than usual. This year we experienced more heat waves. We also stopped agriculture in summer due to the unavailability of water for irrigation. This somewhat impacted our economy, which had been a source of external income. During the day, we drink mango and tamarind juice, which helps us maintain our body temperature.

— Anish Toppo · Raiboga, Sundargarh, Odisha

Elderly neighbors, children work in other cities. "In Kolkata we mostly get Himsagar and Langra, and this season the quality has been inconsistent — smaller fruit, some batches not as sweet as usual. But what bothers me more is the middleman problem. The vendor tells me prices are high, yet I read that farmers in Murshidabad are not getting fair rates. The consumer pays more and the farmer earns less — someone in between is profiting. I would like to tell our local councillor that the municipality should organise seasonal farmer markets, directly connecting mango growers from the district to buyers in Dum Dum. It would bring prices down for us and give farmers a fairer income. This is not a new idea but nobody has acted on it seriously. If the councillor can push for even a weekly market during the mango season it would make a real difference to many households."

— Yuvikaa Agarwal · South Dumdum, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal

In my area, Dasheri and Langra are the most popular mango varieties. This year, there are fewer mangoes on the trees, and the quality is not as good as usual.

— Sahil Singh · Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

Hello, regarding the summer, the sun is very strong. But since we are in the countryside, we don't feel it much because we work in the village. It's a little, a little more. But because we are farmers, we don't feel it. But I don't know how you people in town are coping, poor things. The sun is indeed very strong this year. I don't know if it will stay like this or how it will be. But we ourselves are drinking a lot of water in the countryside. But even if we farm like that, our farming is not yielding much. The yield is very low. Half of the harvest is wasted due to yellow disease. I don't know how we are going to cope.

— Divagar N · Parakkalur AD Street, Salem, Tamil Nadu

Mangoes are definitely the fruit of summer for us. The varieties I see most often near Kuthambakkam are Banganapalli, Alphonso, Imam Pasand, and Neelum. The taste this season has been good, especially the Banganapalli mangoes. My main concern is the price. A lot of families are finding it difficult to buy mangoes regularly because the rates fluctuate every week. Sometimes the premium varieties are almost treated like luxury fruits. Apart from that, availability has not been a problem. Local shops and roadside vendors have plenty of stock, and the overall quality seems better than last year.

— Sanjukta Chanda · Kuthambakkam, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu

Response 1 – Sourabh "I live in Aundh. In our area, the most popular mango varieties are Hapus and Kesar. This season the quality is average. I bought some from the Sunday market two weeks ago. Some were sweet but many were fibrous. Last year I bought a full crate and everyone liked them. This year prices are high, so I am buying less." Response 2 – Madhavi "I live in Kothrud and have a 9-5 job. In our area, Hapus and Kesar are the most popular. This season the quality is not very good. I buy mangoes after work from the shop near my society. Last week they were fibrous so I had to add extra sugar in aamras. Prices are higher this year." Response 3 – Abhishek "I live in Yerwada and work night shift at the airport mall. Here Hapus and Kesar are very popular. This season mangoes are not that good. I buy them in the evening before work. Last week they tasted sour. My wife made pickle instead of eating fresh. We are buying less because of high price."

— Prayag Gaikwad · Pune, Maharashtra

In Bengaluru, we get almost all mango varieties, but Imam Pasand is my absolute favorite, though I sometimes buy Mallika. Currently, in the middle of the season, local availability is low. I just bought a batch from Chennai that is supposed to be very sweet, which I'll try tomorrow. Interestingly, the season is running late this year. We are well into the monsoons, yet the Paheri (Pairi) mangoes on the tree in my backyard are still growing. Compared to last year, which started early and brought an abundance of excellent varieties by mid-summer .This year has been slow and less bountiful. Even the taste has been inconsistent. The first batch of Imam Pasands I bought a month ago wasn't up to the mark compared to last year's. However, the ones I picked up last week were excellent, so the good fruit is likely just arriving later. This delay is probably due to the mango showers, which were late and lighter than last year, disrupting the usual flowering and fruiting cycle.

— Aditya Negi · Bengaluru, Bengaluru Urban, Karnataka

For us, the biggest problem this year was more about power cuts than the heat. When the temperature rose very high, often there was no electricity for hours. Fans, coolers, everything would stop, and it became difficult to sit inside the house. Even at night, we couldn't sleep properly, which caused problems in working the next day. To escape the heat, we kept drinking water repeatedly, used wet towels, and stayed in the shade as much as possible. But due to lack of electricity, children, the elderly, and sick people faced the most difficulty. Many times, the water supply was also affected, which further increased the problems. We feel that along with increasing heat, it is very important for the electricity system to be strengthened. If there is continuous electricity, people can get relief from the heat and daily life can become a bit easier.

— Kumari Ankita · Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh

Response 1:The city of Pattukkottai is known for mango varieties such as Ottu, Malgova, Banganapalli, Imam Pasand, and local Naattu mangoes. The mangoes this year are sweet and of good quality. However, prices are higher than last year, so many people are buying smaller quantities.Response 2:There are many Ottu mango trees in our village. The yield this season has been average, and the fruits have good taste and quality. Due to the high summer temperatures, some mangoes ripened earlier than expected, reducing their shelf life.Response 3:My family usually buys Ottu and Malgova mangoes from the local market. The quality has been good this season, and the fruits are well-sized and sweet. Even though prices have increased, mangoes remain one of the most popular fruits during summer in our area.

— Devadharshini S · Kappalur, Madurai, Tamil Nadu

I am currently residing in Delhi with my son's family so I have been only eating Safeda mangoes. They are okay only. Good for making mango shakes but I miss the mangoes back home in Bihar. I used to have Totapuri , Dashehri and Malda. We have orchards back home and we get the produce fresh thus making the quality very good. But the ones here in Delhi that I have had is not that great. They are not very juicy and are very hard too . Plus you never know how that mango has been grown and sourced. It might be laden with chemical pesticides or plant growth hormone injections. Meanwhile, the mangoes from home are organically sourced right in front of my eyes. I go and pick them out myself.

— Zainab Rizwi · Cornwallis Colony, New Delhi, Unknown

Prabhjot Kaur | 22 yrs old. Safeeda, Langra, Chausa are very famous varieties here in our area. We also get Alphonso which I like, but it is more expensive than other varieties. The quality is good but only if you buy from verified organic sources otherwise most of the market is flooded with chemically grown mangoes. This year I got throat problem because of this. Since then, I check if it is organically grown or not.

— Harmanjot Kaur · Rajgarh, Barnala, Punjab

From a seller's point of view, mangoes are one of the biggest attractions during summer. Customers in this area mostly ask for Banganapalli, Malgova, Imam Pasand, and occasionally Alphonso. This season, customer demand has been strong because the fruits are sweeter and look better than last year. However, suppliers have mentioned that transportation costs and weather conditions affected prices. Some customers complain that good-quality mangoes are expensive, while cheaper ones do not always ripen properly. Even with these challenges, sales have been steady. People still associate summer with mangoes and continue to buy them whenever fresh stock arrives

— Sanjukta Chanda · Kuthambakkam, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu

In our locality, there are different varieties of mangoes, all are locals. Mainly mangoes are small in size and more popular in locality. It is used for different purposes like pickle, riped for selling. For some people mangoes are source of income in summer season. Also, people used it for making juice (row, ripped) which health us to protect from the heat waves.

— Anish Toppo · Raiboga, Sundargarh, Odisha

I spend most of my time at home these days, but even indoors I have felt that this summer was unusually hot. Earlier, mornings and evenings used to be pleasant, but now the heat seems to continue well into the night. At my age, hot weather can be uncomfortable and sometimes affects sleep. I avoid going outside during the afternoon and keep the curtains closed on the side where the sunlight enters directly. I drink plenty of water, tender coconut water when available, and eat lighter meals. This also causes weight loss because sometimes I cannot eat because of the heat, which becomes difficult to manage. Every year the summers seem to become a little harsher. Many elderly people may find it difficult to cope if this trend continues.

— Sanjukta Chanda · Kuthambakkam, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu

Baldev Singh Bajwa | 70 yrs old. Most popular mango varieties, I feel like would beDashehari, Langra, Safeeda, and Badami. Although, I don't think there is clear knowledge of which one is the most liked,. This year the quality was okay. The mangoes arrived a bit later than last year. The chemical use is similar to previoius years., so we have made peace with that. Some mangoes are good but they are not as sweet as they used to be.

— Harmanjot Kaur · Rajgarh, Barnala, Punjab

In our region, Dasheri and Chausa are the most popular mango varieties. The quality of mangoes this year is similar to last year, but there are fewer mangoes on the trees compared to previous seasons.

— Sahil Singh · Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

My name is Nagarajan, I am from Salem district. Salem district is very famous for mangoes. Many high-quality mangoes are grown here. Varieties like Imam Pasand, Bengaluru, Banganapalli, Malgova, Alphonso are exported from here to local markets, other states, and foreign countries. However, for the past 10 years, due to ripening with pesticides and chemicals, the old taste of mangoes is no longer found. The body also does not get as much nutrition as before. It's not like before.

— Divagar N · Ammasiyur, Salem, Tamil Nadu

Response 1 - Farmer:This summer has been much hotter than usual. Working in the fields during the afternoon is difficult, so we start work early in the morning and finish before the heat becomes too strong. We drink plenty of water and buttermilk to stay hydrated.Response 2 – Homemaker:The heat inside the house has been uncomfortable, especially in the afternoons. We keep children indoors, drink more water, buttermilk, and tender coconut water, and use fans throughout the day. This summer feels hotter than previous years.Response 3 – Shopkeeper:Customer visits are lower during the afternoon because most people prefer to stay indoors. People usually come to the market in the morning or evening. Many customers say this has been one of the hottest summers in recent years.

— Devadharshini S · Kappalur, Madurai, Tamil Nadu

This summer has been really tough in the afternoons. My house gets extremely hot. We often have power cuts which makes it hard to use fans or coolers. I drink buttermilk and coconut water to stay cool. I keep the windows open for air to come in. But in the afternoon the air was also hot. My kids often get headaches and dehydration. Feel tired after playing outside. We try to avoid going out when the sun's, at its peak level. The fact that there are not trees and green spaces around here makes the heat feel even worse. It is uncomfortable for my children to play outside. They get tired very quickly. I have to take care of them.

— Rohan Shinde · Boorakunte, Sarjapura, Bengaluru Urban

This year, it was very hot in our village. Especially during the afternoon, the sun was very intense. Due to the heat, it became difficult to do household chores. There were also frequent power cuts in our village, which caused us a lot of trouble. Many wells in our village also dry up during the summers, so there's a big problem with water. Many times, we have to go far to fetch water. To stay cool, we used to drink cold water from earthen pots. We also had to do farm work only from 5 AM to 10 AM, as it wasn't possible to work in the intense afternoon sun. To keep the house a bit cool, we put tree branches on the roof. This reduces direct sunlight and makes the house feel a bit cooler. This is how we cope with the heat.

— Pragati Raut · Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra

I don't know more varities of mangoes but some that we say in local are malda, langda, kalmi, bambaiya. I don't know the exact quality as I only used for consumption then selling. And there is no such measurement but comparative to other year this year I ate very less mango.

— Anish Toppo · Raiboga, Sundargarh, Odisha

In the present era, due to unseasonal weather, the yield of agricultural crops has decreased.

— Padmalochan Majhi · Ratachua, Rayagada, Odisha

This year our village experienced extreme heat. Especially during the afternoon, the sun was very strong. Due to the heat, it became difficult to do household chores. Power outages were also very frequent in our village, which caused us a lot of trouble. Many wells in our village also dry up in summer, so there is a big problem with water. Many times we have to go far for water. To stay cool, we used to drink cold water from earthen pots. We also had to do farm work only from 5 AM to 10 AM, as it was not possible to work in the scorching afternoon sun. To keep the house a bit cool, we put tree branches on the roof. This reduces direct sunlight and makes the house feel a bit cooler. This is how we cope with the heat.

— Pragati Raut · Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra

Palwinder Singh | 45 yrs old We get most varieties here, most of these are exported from U.P. The ones that I can remember are Saheeda, Chusa, Alphonso, Langde, Badami, Dussheri, and Keshri. These are very readily avalaible and easy to store. This year I feel like the quality was mixed. Some of the batches were good, while some were heavily infused with chemicals and tasted bland.

— Harmanjot Kaur · Rajgarh, Barnala, Punjab

In our locality, Alphonso mangoes are very popular. We buy them every summer season because they are sweet, tasty, and have a nice smell. Many people enjoy eating them with their families during this mango season. But during this summer, due to high temperatures, spongy tissue is seen in the mango. Means the mango may look perfectly normal from the outside, but the affected portion inside is not pleasant to taste or smell. But even somehow, people still like to buy good quality Alphonso, even if it's expensive, because of their sweetness and juiciness.

— Pragati Raut · Akola, Maharashtra

My name is Kanagavalli, I am a housewife. There is a lot of sun exposure in our town. So we have problems. Young children are falling ill. Prickly heat boils are occurring frequently. We are reducing body heat by drinking water, coconut water, and eating watermelon. You also eat a lot of fruits.

— Divagar N · Parakkalur AD Street, Salem, Tamil Nadu

The environment was good before, now it doesn't rain on time, due to which farming is not good.

— Upendra Kumar Mahananda

Every summer, mangoes are something we look forward to here. In our area, the most common varieties are Banganapalli, Imam Pasand, Malgova, and Neelum. Personally, I like Imam Pasand because of its taste and aroma. This year, the quality has actually been quite good. The fruits are sweet and less fibrous compared to last season. However, the prices were a little high at the beginning because of the heat and transportation costs. Now they have become more affordable. Most vendors in our local market are getting fresh stock regularly, so overall I would say this has been a good mango season for consumers

— Sanjukta Chanda · Kuthambakkam, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu

Start. Summer in India is truly associated with mangoes. Summer without mangoes cannot be imagined. And the region I live in, West Bengal. The best variety of mango there is Himsagar. Besides that, there is Kohitoor, there is Golap Khas, there is Kanchan Mithe. There are many such varieties of mangoes. This summer, the quality of mangoes is very good. We are getting very delicious mangoes in the market this summer. However, the yield this summer is slightly less. But the quality is really good.

— Arani Biswas · Bally, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal

I think this summer was much hotter than previous years. During the afternoons, it became very difficult to keep my grocery shop open. The shop is small, and there is no fan to keep me cool. I carry a large water bottle and drink water frequently to avoid dehydration. Sometimes, I have to close my shop in the afternoon because of the extreme heat. I often feel tired and suffer from headaches due to the high temperatures. The heat has also affected my business, as very few customers come to the shop during the afternoon. Most people prefer to stay indoors until the weather becomes cooler.

— Rohan Shinde · Billapura, Bengaluru Urban, Karnataka

I am Lakshmanarayanan. I am a weaver. Now, due to the gas shortage, cooking is very difficult. Now, we have to buy firewood from nearby to cook. They have also increased the price of firewood due to the shortage. So, it's very difficult now. Now, it's the rainy season. During the rainy season, from 5-6 PM, strong winds blow. It rains. So, cooking with firewood is a bit difficult. If there wasn't this gas shortage, we could manage a bit. Our weaving business is already going through some difficulties. Now, with this situation, life is becoming a bit harder.

— Divagar N · Parakkalur AD Street, Salem, Tamil Nadu

This summer has been tiring because I travel to different houses every day for work. Usually, I take public transport or walk short distances between places, and the heat has made that much harder. Sometimes by the time I reach the next house, I'm already sweating and feeling exhausted. Sometimes I cannot even carry food, and all my water finishes within a short time. Many households I work in also offer water or cold drinks, which makes a big difference. At home, we try to keep the doors and windows open during the evenings for airflow because running fans all day increases the electricity bill. For working people, this heat is not just uncomfortable—it affects our energy throughout the day

— Sanjukta Chanda · Kuthambakkam, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu

Oh brother, this year the summer has been extremely hot. It used to be difficult to go out of the house during the day. In the afternoon, it felt like fire was raining on the streets. Even the fan often threw hot air, and it became difficult to sit without a cooler or AC. If the power went out, the trouble would increase even more. To protect ourselves from the heat, we drink as much water as possible, and consume things like lemonade, buttermilk, and ORS so that there is no water deficiency in the body. We only go out in the afternoon if it's very necessary, otherwise, we stay indoors. We wear light cotton clothes and try to go out in the sun less often. At night, sitting on the roof or in an open space provides some relief. In our opinion, this year's summer has been hotter than in several past years. It also affected the work of many people, especially those who work outdoors. We hope that the weather will normalize a bit in the coming time and we will get relief from such intense heat.

— Kumari Ankita · Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh