Mango farmers in Tarai-Madhes await rainfall

By Bijay Kumar Sah,Dhalkebar, Mar. 20: Mango farmers in Dhanusha and across the Tarai-Madhes region are eagerly waiting for rainfall. Although mango trees are heavily covered with blossoms, farmers fear that a lack of timely rain will affect production.

Badri Mahato, a mango farmer from Bateshwar in Dhanusha, said insufficient rainfall since winter has put mango cultivation at risk. “The trees are full of blossoms, but if it does not rain before the fruit set, powdery mildew could destroy the crop,” he said.

He added that while some farmers have tried using pesticides to control the disease, the results have not been effective. At least one good rainfall is necessary to secure production, he said.

Farmers have attempted irrigation using pumps, but Badri said it cannot replace natural rainfall.

Manoj Mahato, a farmer from Hariharpur, said the lack of rain has affected not only mangoes but also spring paddy and sugarcane crops. He said that although rainfall occurred in hilly and mountainous regions on Monday evening, this area has not received rain since November. He warned that signs of drought, similar to last year, are already visible.

Umesh Mahato, a technician at the Agriculture Branch of Mithila Municipality, said pest infestation in mango trees is increasing due to rising temperatures and lack of rainfall.

He said Madhes is a fertile region for mango production and trees, along with litchi and other fruits, are currently in full bloom. However, water shortage and excessive heat are likely to directly affect yields, with production potentially dropping by 20 to 40 per cent, Umesh added.

Environmental activist Suresh Sharma said climate change has made rainfall patterns increasingly irregular. He added that rainfall now tends to occur in intense bursts followed by prolonged dry periods, making agriculture more challenging. He also pointed out that water sources in the Madhes region are gradually drying up, posing a serious concern.

According to data from the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives of Madhes Province, mango is cultivated on 42,773 hectares across the country, producing 513,055 metric tonnes annually.

Of this, Madhes Province accounts for 29,099 hectares and produces 395,794 metric tonnes -- more than 77 per cent of the total output.

Commercial mango farming is practised in districts such as Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara and Parsa.

Siraha leads in production with 104,676 metric tonnes annually, followed by Saptari with 96,000 tonnes.

Dhanusha produces 36,916 tonnes, Mahottari 32,722 tonnes, Sarlahi 39,118 tonnes, Rautahat 62,561 tonnes, Bara 19,269 tonnes and Parsa 4,731 tonnes.