Hailstorm hits Hamirpur mango crop

Hamirpur, May 12

Mango crop in the district suffered damage due to the sudden change in weather followed by hailstorm and rain today.

It is estimated that the hailstorm damaged about 15 per cent of the mango crop in the district.

Sources said this year, mango producers were expecting a bumper crop, as last year was a lean season for the fruit here

Mango is grown in over 2,500 hectares and more than 1,200 MT fruit is produced in the district every year.

Apart from hybrid mango, local varieties are a source of income for farmers of the district. Ramesh Kumar of Bhumpal village in the Nadaun subdivision said there was bumper flowering on mango trees this year, and he hoped to make a small fortune from his crop. “But bad weather is going to spoil my dream,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has predicted bad weather for the next two days, leaving mango growers across the district worried.