In Telangana State the area under Mango is 2.89 lakh acres with a production of 11.57 lakh MTs. The average productivity is 4 Tons/acre. The National average productivity is 4.6 Tons/ acre; where as Uttar Pradesh is the No.1 state with productivity of 6.5 Tons/ acre.
There is abundant potential for the mango cultivation in Telangana State with its good climatic conditions which are suitable for cultivation of mango. The Government of India has decided to promote the exports of Agriculture products and formulated the agriculture export policy with an objective to increase the exports from present 30 billion USD to 100 billion USD by 2022.
There is good demand for the Indian mangos, particularly the Banganapalli variety in SAARC countries, Middle East, UK and USA. To explore the potential of exports, new trends of cultivation particularly on farm, pre harvest and post harvest techniques are to be adopted to get remunerative price to the fresh fruits of mango.
The developed countries likes Israel, Spain, Italy, China, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Thailand are adopting High density plantations since 25 years. The export shares of these countries are much higher than India, though India is having highest area and production but very meagre exports are noticed. The present problems in mango are absentee land lords and improper management practices.
Plantations of earlier days with wider spacing are not suitable for proper scientific management of gardens like training, pruning and harvesting, due to that inferior quality fruits are obtained from existing orchards.
To explore the potential of exports, high density and ultra high density plantations are the need of the hour. The gardens can be managed easily and quality fruit can be harvested. Already success stories are recorded in Chittoor District by the farmers of High density and Ultra High density mango plantations. In Chittoor district during 2011 some of the farmers have taken up high density plantations in 3000 acres with spacing of 4mt x 2mts @ 500 plants per acre, which have given very good yields and quality fruits.
In Centre of Excellence for fruits established by Horticulture Department at Mulugu, demonstration plots were taken up in 50 acres on raised beds with mulching by adopting spacing of 3mts x 2mts @ 670 plants per acre which are showing very good response and farmers are interested to take up plantations like this in future in their gardens. By taking up Bamboo as border crop / fence / wind break and additional source of income by planting one line of sandal wood along the periphery as a pension crop to the farmers after 15 years.
The progressive farmer M.Vamana Rao, Moinabad Village, of Ranga Reddy District took up plantation in 30 acres with different crops, by adopting spacing of 16ft x 5 ft on raised beds of 4 ft height and 4ft width due to that water harvesting happened and the bores were recharged and soil moisture capacity increased.
The farmer has taken up Dasheri, Himayath, Banginapalli and Kesar varieties of Mango, Alhabad safeda and lucknow 49 varieties of Guava, Pune variety of Fig, Bhaguva variety in pomegranate, Badoli variety Jamun, Periyakulam variety of Jack fruit, Konkan kagzi lime, tamarind, apple ber, sapota and also vegetables in his farm.
The APC & Prl. Secretary to Govt, C.Parthasarathi, IAS, has visited the farms to see the good agricultural practices adopted by the farmer. He has appreciated the good efforts of the farmer to promote such technologies which are the need of hour. APC has requested the farmer to allow the other farmers to visit his farms so that they can learn from his experience and take up in their farms. The L.Venkatram Reddy, Director of Horticulture & Sericulture, Dr.A.Bhagwan, Director of Research, SKLTSHU and progressive farmers of surrounding areas have accompanied in the visit.
