THENI: The coffee blossoms that usually blanket the mist-covered hills of Theni every summer have given way to drying branches this year, leaving growers worried about a poor harvest as prolonged heat and scanty rainfall take a toll on plantations amid El Niño conditions.
Across the coffee-growing belts of Bodinayakanur, Periyakulam, Kurangani, Top Station, Bodimettu and adjoining hill villages, farmers say the season has unfolded unlike any other. The summer showers that normally trigger flowering in April and May failed to arrive in sufficient measure, while soaring temperatures have scorched flowers and caused tender berries to fall before they could mature. Farmers also fear reduced overall bean size and lower crop yields.
Growers attribute the setback to El Niño, which they say has weakened the southwest monsoon and prolonged dry conditions in the region. With little moisture in the soil, even new planting has come to a halt.
Coffee is cultivated on around 8,000 acres in the district’s hill tracts, where flowering in summer is followed by fruit setting during June and July before harvesting begins in October. This year, however, farmers fear that the disrupted crop cycle will lead to lower yields and reduced incomes. “Flowers have withered, and young berries are dropping because of the heat. If the rains continue to fail, the harvest will be far below normal,” growers said.
Apart from the expected decline in production, the dry spell has also delayed the planting of fresh saplings, raising concerns that the impact of this season’s weather could extend well beyond the current crop.
"Flowers have withered, and young berries are dropping because of the heat. If rains continue to deceive, harvest will be far below than previous years" said the coffee growers.