TWO CYCLONES in as many years have led to financial losses for mango orchard owners and farmers in the coastal districts of Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg. The torrential rain and gusty winds seen in the coastal districts on Monday due to Cyclone Tauktae led to felling of mangoes and mango trees.
While district administrations were in the process of accessing the loss, locals said that the crucial period of mango harvesting between May 15 to the end of the summer season was lost.
“We usually depend on this period to harvest the ready crop and send it to the markets for sale. It pained us to see ready fruit damaged,” said Amar Desai, a mango farmer based in Pawas, Ratnagiri. Desai added that more than half of his ready produce was damaged.
Mango orchard owners said that the overall production of mangoes had suffered this year due to severe damage caused by Cyclone Nisarg last year.
Ratnagiri Collector Laxminarayan Mishra said that the assessment so far shows 2,500 mango trees were damaged on Monday. An estimate was made to show that the extent of damage in these coastal districts on Monday would be 30 per cent of the damage caused by Cyclone Nisarg last year.
Demands for a special relief package for those having suffered damage of property and trees are being considered by ministers.
