Climate & Mango Harvest

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

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

climate change

— Jayprakash Nayak · Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Khordha, Odisha

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

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

We feel more stressed nowadays because the heat is increasing. The sun is getting stronger, and rain is happening untimely.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

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

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

Nowadays, minds are more stressed than before. Forests, heat, everything is increasing. Forests are also being cut, and the heat is rising.

— Kachala Choudhary

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

— Padmalochan Majhi · Ratachua, Rayagada, Odisha

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

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

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

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

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

Response 1: Kannur is always humid but this year was something else. Even the nights were hot which is unusual here. I'm near the coast so we usually get some breeze but this summer even that wasn't enough. Had to stop my evening walks completely and my blood pressure was acting up because of the heat. Response 2: Our house is near Thavakkara and it felt suffocating this summer. No breeze, high humidity. I borrowed a cooler from my cousin just to sleep at night. Power cuts in the evening made it even worse. I've been drinking tender coconut water almost every day just to cope. Response 3: The KSRTC bus commute to Kannur town in the afternoon is really awful. No ventilation, packed with people. I've started leaving office early just to avoid peak heat. My younger sister had a headache and vomiting last month turned out to be a mild heatstroke. This summer has been genuinely difficult for everyone here

— Shalin Sanish · Kannur, Kerala

Today, significant changes are being observed in the forests of our region. Forests are being cut down, leading to climate change. Rain is occurring at irregular times. Agriculture is also being affected.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

In this world, it's rather dangerously widespread because the Earth is on the path of global warming. We have destroyed trees and plants. As a result, this heat is unbearable not only for us but for everyone. And those who have money are fighting this heat with air conditioning. They are trying to adjust to the heat. In doing so, they are further warming the entire planet. As a result, poor people and the entire animal kingdom cannot tolerate this heat anymore. Consequently, most people are actually unable to adapt to this heat.

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

Balwinder Kaur | 46 yrs The heat is very harsh this summer. I work as the health supervisor and there is an increase in heat strokes. Many people have started to take ORS as a preventive measure as well. I try to drink as much water as possible to deal with the heat. I also use a cold cloth to cool down sometimes. Other than that AC usage is very high for us. How ever rain sometimes provide respite from the heat.

— Harmanjot Kaur · Rajgarh, Barnala, Punjab

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

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

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

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

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

Summer season this year is hotter than last year, actually we have a mango tree so we used to sleep in the shadow of the tree which helped us to deal with the heat.

— Deepak Oraon · Mahua, Vaishali, Bihar

Currently the summers in Delhi have not been as harsh as they used to be. There have been some days where it has rained heavily leaving the air quite cool for a few days. We have a second hand AC that we use during summers and we try to control its usage .Those days we did not to use the AC during the night. After the few days the heat definitely returned to the same . This is a very dry summer time so it makes me sweat a lot. And since I work as a domestic helper and a cook , the heat from the kitchen really makes me sweat a lot.

— Zainab Rizwi · Cornwallis Colony, New Delhi, Unknown

Currently the summers in Delhi have not been as harsh as they used to be. There have been some days where it has rained heavily leaving the air quite cool for a few days. We have a second hand AC that we use during summers and we try to control its usage .Those days we did not to use the AC during the night. After the few days the heat definitely returned to the same . This is a very dry summer time so it makes me sweat a lot. And since I work as a domestic helper and a cook , the heat from the kitchen really makes me sweat a lot.

— Zainab Rizwi · Cornwallis Colony, New Delhi, Unknown

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

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

I come from Assam. I have to say that Bengaluru was really hot this year. The temperature was high at night. I always carry a water bottle with me. I try to stay inside when it is the hottest part of the day. Many students get tired when they are going to college especially when they are on buses. There are not places to wait in the shade at the bus stops so it is not very comfortable to commute. The heat in Bengaluru has changed my routine and it is harder for me to focus I get tired really fast. Bengaluru heat is something that I am still getting used to. It is affecting my life in many ways like my daily routine and my concentration, in Bengaluru.

— Rohan Shinde · Boorakunte, Sarjapura, Bengaluru Urban

Palwinder Singh | 45 yrs I am a Vet, and I have noticed that this year heat has been particularly hard on animals and birds. I have seen many cases of animals suffering health issues because of this. I too feel very uncomfortable while working in so much heat. At home and in car because of Air conditioning it is fine but otherwise the weather is harsh enough to avoid leaving home. I drink as much water as possible to avoid fainting and avoid going in direct sunlight wihout protective cover.

— Harmanjot Kaur · Rajgarh, Barnala, Punjab

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

Yes, we feel more stressed now than before because of seeing all these things like forest destruction, environmental degradation, and heat.

— Kachala Choudhary

This year the summer has been really bad in Bangalore and in Bangalore anything upward of thirty degrees is something that we Bangaloreans cannot bear and I personally felt it was really hot and almost had to, you know, change my whole wardrobe to,bear the heat. it was a very harsh summer this time and it was also a very long summer. It's only the last couple of days that there's a cloud cover. even that one or two spells of rains that we had in between, it only increased the heat and did not cool Bangalore down too much. But we've been having a little bit of rain the last couple of weeks and hopefully summer is over and I can go back to my usual Bangalore wardrobe.

— Aditya Negi · Bengaluru, Bengaluru Urban, Karnataka

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

We live in Uttarakhand, but we live in the plain area of Uttarakhand. It's not that cold here. The effect of heat is quite significant, and the house we have is, well, a kachcha (raw/unpaved) house with a tin roof. The tin gets very hot. So, what happens is we have to face a lot of heat, and we don't even have resources. There's one fan, and even that gives very cold air. There's no cooler or AC.

— Anshika Saxena · Kichha, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand