AN exceptionally good flowering in mango trees indicates a healthy outlook for the crop in Sindh, provided it is able to sustain the windstorms that usually strike during April-May.

Orchard owners, researchers and contractors agree that the fruit setting, in full swing, is now in the final stage since temperatures rose in the third week of March, touching 40oC. Water shortage in lower Sindh, however, may pose a threat to the mango crop.

A progressive orchard owner, Ghulam Sarwar Abro, suggests that mango orchard owners need to apply potassium in trees for better fruit bearing. The orchard owners must, however, avoid overdosing of nitrogen which overripens the fruit and causes jelly formation in pulp. To avoid jelly formation, calcium could be helpful.

Orchard owners have secured a better deal from contractors. According to Abdul Haleem Nizamani of Matli, he just gave a contract for the sale of his 85-acre orchard crop for Rs177,000 per acre against last year’s rate of Rs95,000 per acre.

Sindh Abadgar Board President Abdul Majeed Nizamani points out that exceptional flowering is being reported across the province and orchard owners just need to manage farms properly to ensure a bumper crop this season

Sindh Abadgar Board President Abdul Majeed Nizamani points out that exceptional flowering is being reported across the province and orchard owners just need to manage farms properly to ensure a bumper crop this season.

Similarly, Matiari district’s mango orchard owner Nadeem Shah concluded a deal for his crop on his 16-acre orchard for Rs140,000 per acre against last year’s rate of Rs100,000 an acre. Shah, however, fears that the non-availability of water could result in shedding unripe mangoes in orchards of lower Sindh which is fed by Sukkur and Kotri barrages. Both barrages are currently experiencing severe water shortages.

An early flowering, according to researcher L. K. Sharma of Sindh Agriculture Research department, was witnessed during Dec-Jan. But 90pc flowering was seen in February.

About 70pc fruit setting has been witnessed in orchards located in Matiari, Tando Allahyar and Mirpurkhas districts — the provincial mango hub.

The initial phase of flowering this year in trees was hit by powdery mildew — a fungal disease — but, according to Sharma, preventive sprays of pesticides were sufficient to take care of the problem.

The agriculture department’s mango farm in Mirpurkhas was auctioned for Rs2.2m against last year’s figure of Rs1.2m. Better prospects of crop this year are prompting contactors to offer better deals.

Mango harvesting would coincide with Ramazan, when Muslims would start observing fasting, from the last week of May.

Farmer, Imdad Nizamani, says chaunsa variety would record a decline this year as it gave good production last year but sindhri is in full bloom with adequate fruit setting, thanks to the extended winter season this year.

Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, April 3rd, 2017