Scorched And Unsold: UP Mango Farmers Face Heatwave, Market Collapse And Mounting Losses

In the blistering heat of Uttar Pradesh, mango growers are watching a year’s worth of hard work wither under the dual assault of extreme weather and market apathy. With temperatures touching 45°C across districts like Lucknow, Malihabad and Hardoi, the mango harvest is not only struggling to survive, it is failing to sell.

In Lucknow’s Dubagga mandi, buyers are nowhere to be seen. Farmers, some having travelled hours with truckloads of Dussehri mangoes, are returning home with empty pockets and unsold fruit. Mangoes that once fetched reasonable rates are now being offered as low as ₹10–25 per kilo for unripe and ₹8–15 for ripened fruit, amount which barely covers labour costs, let alone input expenses.

Many traders, say farmers, are quoting prices far below even the cost of production. Some farmers, in sheer desperation, are leaving crates behind and walking away. "I brought the produce at 4 a.m. and waited all day. There were no buyers worth negotiating with," said Ramavatar, a farmer from Barabanki. “We’ve spent thousands on irrigation, pesticides, and labour, and now we’re left with nothing.”

Malihabad’s Dussehri crop, once the pride of mango exports, is now facing abandonment. “The heat came early, the monsoon came too soon, and there’s no support on the ground,” said Salman, who left his harvest in the mandi. “Last year gave us hope. This year has broken it.”

The state's mango economy, already under strain, now sees ripple effects on daily wage labourers, harvesters, sorters, packers, and transporters all who rely on seasonal employment.

For many orchard owners, another bad season may be the last. Some are now contemplating shifting to other crops or quitting farming altogether. “This isn’t just a failed season, it’s a signal,” said Mohammad Naseer of Malihabad. “The younger generation wants no part in this. And the old are losing the will.”

Despite rising distress, there's little sign of immediate government intervention. With more heat forecast and no clear market intervention plan, mango growers are left battling both climate and silence.