Indian mango farmers are facing decreases in yields due to fruit fly infestations, according to The Hindu. 

What's happening?

India recently suffered the earliest monsoon season in 16 years. It has adversely affected onion, tomato, rice, lemon, and orange crops.

"Rain also softens the fruit skin, making it more conducive for egg laying, thereby increasing the extent of damage," said local researcher V. Suchithra, per The Hindu. "Studies have shown that even early rainfall of as little as 0.85 mm can stimulate fruit fly activity."

The early rainfall has meant that mangoes either needed to be picked earlier to avoid fruit fly infestation enabled by increased moisture, or be left to weather the infestation. In the latter case, yields have been reduced enough that the remaining fruit wouldn't be worth enough to offset the cost of picking and transporting them.

"He could barely recover the money invested on the harvest and transportation of the eight tonnes. So, we did not harvest the mangoes at the end of May," said local landowner Prathap Reddy about the farmer leasing his land, per The Hindu.

Why is food production important?

This instance is yet another example of how unpredictable weather patterns lead to disrupted food systems. At a minimum, reduced yields force a rise in prices as supply wanes.

The atmospheric pollution, which has been exacerbating these trends, also heats polar ice caps, which raises sea levels and poses additional threats to coastal communities. 

What's being done about food production?

Permaculture practices can offer crops some buffer against wild swings in weather patterns, but there's a limit to the amount of resilience this can offer.

Attacking the root of the problem holds greater promise, which is why India has been working hard to reduce emissions by installing a record number of solar panels.

However, bringing down India's emissions from coal power generation remains a steep challenge.

What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home? Not enough time ⏳ Not enough space 🤏 It seems too hard 😬 I have a garden already 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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