Farmers concerned over decline in Darjeeling Mandarin orange production

PRASHANT ACHARYA

SILIGURI,: The world famous Darjeeling Mandarin orange (Citrus reticulate Blanco) is slowly losing its popularity in domestic and international markets due to low production after virus attack and fungal infections.

The production of oranges in the lower belts of the Darjeeling and Kalimpong hills have almost dropped down to 50 percent and the farmers are preparing for alternative farming after orange trees have started dying in large numbers.

According to the orchard owners, production has almost halved due to pest attack, climatic reasons, fungal infection and lack of government support even as concerned government authorities says it is due to poor management, general negligence and dependency on the old aged trees.

P.K. Sampang, an orchard owner of Thurboo, Mirik, said, “In comparison to previous year, the size of the oranges are very small and the production has also fallen down. This year we did not sell the fruit due to less production and bad quality.”

Sunil Gurung, who has an orchard in Mirik village area, said: “The production has fallen due to various reasons including climatic condition, fungal and pest attack and also due to lack of government support towards the growers.”

Jasoda Rai added that now people will not be interested any more as the production goes down with dying of orange trees. Darjeeling’s sweet and succulent winter treat has now becoming pale after virus and pest attack.

T.N. Ghishing, who owns around 7 acre of orange orchard in Bara Mangwa under Darjeeling district, says, “The orange production has gone down and the size of the fruit is also becoming smaller due to virus attack.

Asked about any support from the government, he replied, “Till now we did not receive any support from the Horticulture department of the government and GTA. If it continues, there will be no orange plantation in hills.”

Meanwhile, Madhav Chhetri, a senior scientific officer of GTA Horticulture department said the production has decreased obviously in lower belts but the production in areas about 4,000 to 5,000 ft has not suffered. The production this year will be only known after the end of the season. The life span of orange tree is 35 years and there are large numbers of trees above 35 years, he explained.

Chhetri however agreed that the production has been decreasing since last couple of years due to various reasons including gap of management between farmers and administration. He informed that the Horticulture department along with Cinchona plantation has submitted a proposal letter to GTA for the survey named ‘Citrus Rejuvenation’.

He also informed that due to shortage of staffs in Horticulture department, it becomes difficult to work in the entire blocks and villages of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. 

L.B. Dewan, the founder president of Small Orange Farmer’s Association of Darjeeling, said the problem is since 1973 when the association was formed in the name of ‘Mirik Suntala Utpadan Samiti’ to save the world famous Mandarin Orange. He informed that in 1984, a seminar was held in Mirik where scientific experts, scholars from Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidhalaya and Horticulture department were present to resolve the issues of virus, fungal and pest attack.

“The production has dropped down in large numbers at present due to political turmoil in hills, lack of scientific support, improper environmental studies, ecological imbalance and many more,” he expressed.