Some farmers in Jagtial of Telangana did not pluck the mangoes after May late as a lot of the fruits were damaged by fruit flies — whose numbers increase when it rains. Monsoon this year has set in the State early - on May 26 against the usual date of June 10. This has spoiled the last cycle of the fruit harvest. The money needed to harvest and sell the fruits would only lead to losses.
Labour cost at least ₹2,000 to harvest one tonne
Mitapally Prathap Reddy, who has 18 acres of mango farm in Korutla left around five tonnes unplucked. He said that if they want to hire people to harvest the fruits, men take ₹800 per day and women take ₹400. At least two men and a woman are needed to harvest one tonne of mangoes; men pluck mangoes and women keep them upside down for a while so that sap does not stick to the fruit and later pack them. The labour cost to harvest one tonne of mangoes is ₹2,000 at least. Later, transportation charges have to be paid to send the package to markets.
Did not even get ₹10,000 per tonne
While an average of ₹25,000 to ₹30,000 is given for a tonne of mangoes. After the rains, we did not even get ₹10,000, said Mr. Prathap Reddy. The farmer said that fruit flies damaged the last cycle of the crop. He said that rains before the monsoon dented their profits.
