The Devastating Impact:
- Crop Loss and Economic Ruin: Unseasonal and heavy rains directly lead to the rotting of cashew fruits, causing massive crop losses. This translates into significant financial losses for farmers, with preliminary estimates suggesting figures in the range of Rs 30 crore (approx. 3 million USD) in districts like Koraput alone.
- Livelihood Crisis for Tribal Communities: Cashew cultivation is a primary source of income for thousands of tribal families in Odisha. The destruction of their crops means a direct assault on their livelihoods, leaving them with no means of support and often forcing them into deeper poverty.
- Reduced Quality and Market Value: Even if some nuts can be salvaged, the erratic weather conditions, including heavy dew and unseasonal rainfall during crucial flowering and fruiting stages, promote the growth of pests and diseases.
- Pest and Disease Proliferation: Climate change creates favorable conditions for the outbreak and spread of pests like the tea mosquito bug, which can severely damage cashew plants and reduce yields.
Underlying Climate Change Factors:
- Erratic Monsoon Patterns: Odisha, like many parts of India, is experiencing increasingly unpredictable monsoon seasons. This includes delayed onset, sudden deluges, and unseasonal rainfall events outside the typical monsoon period, all of which are detrimental to cashew, a rain-fed crop.
- Temperature Fluctuations: High temperatures, especially during flowering, can cause flowers to dry out, while coupled with high humidity, they create ideal conditions for fungal diseases.
- Increased Frequency of Extreme Weather Events: Cyclones and other severe weather events, which are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, can cause widespread damage to cashew plantations.