Unseasonal Rains Threaten Mango Growers in South Gujarat and Saurashtra

Ahmedabad, Gujarat –As Gujarat reels under a severe heatwave with temperatures soaring to 44°C in Ahmedabad and Rajkot on Tuesday, a fresh concern has emerged for mango growers in South Gujarat and Saurashtra. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast unseasonal rainfall from May 3 to 6, sparking fears of significant crop damage during peak mango harvesting season.

The unseasonal showers, expected to be accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds (30–40 kmph), are likely to impact key mango-producing districts such as Valsad, Navsari, Surat, Amreli, Gir Somnath, and Junagadh.

Farmers are now staring at potential financial losses due to the unexpected weather shift. “The mangoes are almost ready for harvest. If the rains come with wind and lightning, the fruits will fall prematurely and rot. We have no way to protect them,” said Bhupatbhai Patel, a mango grower from Valsad district.

According to IMD, rain will begin on May 3 in northern districts such as Banaskantha and Sabarkantha and will gradually extend to central, southern, and coastal areas. By May 6, nearly the entire Saurashtra and South Gujarat region will see rain, including major mango belts like Navsari, Valsad, and Amreli.

This sudden turn in weather comes at a time when farmers were hoping to recover from previous crop stress due to erratic rainfall patterns earlier in the year. “We have invested in fertilisers, labour, and transportation. If this rain damages the produce, we won’t even recover our basic costs,” said Kiritbhai Desai from Gir Somnath.

Adding to the concern, a heatwave alert remains in effect for Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Surendranagar, Morbi, Botad, and Kutch over the next 24 hours, raising fears of crop sunburn before the rains arrive.

Agriculture experts are urging local administrations to issue advisories to mango farmers. “Protective netting or early harvest in threatened zones might reduce losses,” said an official from the Gujarat Horticulture Department.

With mango exports from Gujarat slated to begin in mid-May, any damage at this stage could severely impact both domestic supply and international trade, particularly to the Gulf and Europe.