RAJBIRAJ: In spite of recent havoc wreaked by strong winds to mango orchards, Saptari district, this season, will yield mangoes worth Rs 1.48 billion this year, District Agriculture Development Office estimates.

According to DADO Spokesperson Dinesh Prasad Yadav, although mangoes have been planted over 7000 hectares in the region, tropical trees have bore flowers and fruit in 5000 hectares. Moreover, it has been estimated that one metric tonne of mangoes will be produced per hectare.

Nonetheless, juicy stone fruit worth Rs 70.360 million were destroyed by strong winds and hailstones in the district, a week ago.

Severe weather phenomena faced by the area past week ravaged mango orchards spread over 500 hectares in Kanchanrup Municipality and 200 hectares in Saptakoshi Municipality, Chief of DADO, Bhagi Rath Yadav informed adding that the drupe fruits are still facing threat from severe weather, mango seed weevil (insect that feeds on mango seeds) and mango leaf-hopper which destroys mango leaves and flowers.

The major orchards fall along the East-West Highway from Kanchanrup to Walan in Sapatri while 11 areas in the region are considered as pocket zone for mango plantation.

Moreover, 9 varieties of mangoes including Malda, Bombay, Amrapali, Kalkatiya, Dashahri among others are produced and consumed in markets of major cities of Kathmandu, Pokhara, Narayangadh, Biratnagar and Dharan.

According to Yadav, the district had witnessed a poor year vis-à-vis mango yield as it only harvested 20000 tonnes of mangoes in 7000 hectares, last year. However, the tropical trees have bore good quantity of flowers this year, Yadav added.