SIRAHA: Mango production in Siraha district is expected to decline this year, with farmers increasingly concerned after strong winds and the outbreak of ‘Madhuwa’ disease caused the shedding of mango blossoms and young fruits.
According to the Agricultural Knowledge Centre Siraha, mangoes cultivated on around 9,025 hectares had shown promising growth this season. However, due to disease infestation, only about 10 percent of the fruit is estimated to have remained on the trees.
Information officer Sudeep Khanal said there had been expectations of a bumper harvest this year, but the continued dropping of blossoms and young fruits has led to fears of a significant decline in output. Last year, the district produced 59,886 metric tons of mangoes.
Prakash Sah Halwai, head of the agriculture branch at Lahan Municipality, said the outbreak remained uncontrolled despite the use of pesticides such as Imidacloprid. Experts believe that rainfall and strong winds during the fruiting stage worsened the situation.
Farmers, many of whom rely on mango cultivation as their primary source of income, have expressed deep concern. Pramod Yadav of Lahan-24 said farmers lack adequate knowledge and technical skills to manage the disease, urging the government to provide timely training and support.
Similarly, Rambriksha Yadav of Lahan-22 said strong winds last night knocked down the remaining fruits, raising fears that farmers may not even recover their investment this year. “We spent heavily on pesticides and fertilizers, but now the trees are almost bare,” he said.
In response, the Agricultural Knowledge Centre has said it plans to conduct awareness programs and provide technical guidance to farmers ahead of future growing seasons to better manage such outbreaks.
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