The mango season has had a good run in Tiruchi this year, with several varieties such as Baganapalli, Senthooram, Neelam and Imam Pasand flooding the markets in recent weeks.

“There are at least 1,900 hectares under mango cultivation in Tiruchi district, with the majority concentrated in the Marungapuri block. Approximately 750 hectares of mango farms have reached the end of yield stage. Rumani, the last variety of the mango season, is being cultivated on 30 hectares. It will be available until mid-June to early July,” a Department of Horticulture official told The Hindu.

The premium Imam Pasand, known for its balanced sweet and tart taste profile, is selling at ₹200 per kilo, while Malgova and Baganapalli are selling at ₹120 and ₹80 respectively at the Thathachariar Gardens in Srirangam.

Alphonso, a variety grown in the Konkan region, Maharashtra and Gujarat, among other places, is valued for its natural sweetness and smooth flesh. It is being sold at prices ranging from ₹150 to ₹250, by green groceries in the city.

Mango farmers are facing the brunt of climate change, that has affected the cultivation cycle of the fruit and hit their profitability. Agricultural experts said that mango growers are increasingly shifting to coconuts to sustain their livelihood.

“When traditional varieties of mango fail due to climatic conditions, we advise farmers to switch over to high-yield alternatives such as Miyazaki [of Japanese origin] and Red Ivory [from Thailand], that can help them earn a good profit. Individual saplings for these mangoes cost around ₹400,” said C. Bhoopathi, proprietor, Pasumai Bharatham Agricultural Solutions, a sustainable farming consultancy based in Tiruchi.