Lucknow, Mar 2 (IANS): Extreme winter conditions this year have adversely affected the mango crop and mango lovers should be prepared for a lean crop in the season.

Mango growers cite poor flowering, diseases and erratic water supply as a few reasons for the expected low produce.

Moreover, the crop is also likely to be delayed by around 20 days and is expected to hit the market by June 20 this year.

Insram Ali, a leading mango grower, said poor flowering tops the issues that hampered the produce this mango season.

He said temperature plays an important role in flowering, and "this year, the high-intensity winter has hampered flowering".

In Malihabad, where 23,589 hectares of land is engaged in mango farming, growers were looking forward to a good yield, but the delayed flowering has left a severe dent on the mango crop.

Insram Ali, who is also the president All India Mango Growers' Association (AIMGA) said that on an average, the mango belt here in Uttar Pradesh, produces 45 lakh metric tonnes of mangoes. But this time, following the delayed flowering and other factors, including poor watering and availability of poor-quality pesticide, the production is expected to be lower than usual.

"Besides, the crop is also late this year and is likely to hit the market in the second or third week of June," said Ali.

He said that the low produce will also push up prices of the fruit. "We don't even have the status of a farmer. Neither is our crop insured, nor do we get any subsidy from the government on pesticides," he added.

Shailendra Rajan, former director Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, (CISH), Lucknow, and an expert on the fruit described it a delayed flowering issue, which he said is due to the low temperature. He said the scenario will not only delay the crop but will also reduce the yield.