Bihat has always been one of the top mango-growing states. But, for the first time, the state horticulture department has recorded mango production this year as "nil". "This year there is no mango production," the department director Upendranath Choubey said.He said mango trees give good yields every second year and the state had expected a low harvest this year as the last had been a bumper year. "But even our low expectations were shattered as the winter season recorded heavy rainfall which adversely affected the flowering of mango trees," he said.
Last year, Bihar's mango production was 18,06,144 tonnes from an overall orchard area of 1,52,112 hectares. This year (1998-99) the growing area was increased to 1,54,112 hectares.
but the unseasonal rains caused the flowers to fall off before they could mature.
However, production of litchies has improved to 2,80,220 tonnes from 2,70,096 tonnes last year, over a larger growing area.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
