Adimali: Continuous rainfall has severely affected the agricultural sector in the high ranges, with cocoa farmers bearing the brunt of the damage. Since May, relentless rain has caused ripe cocoa pods to rot, and the brief dry spells that followed led to the remaining pods to dry up on the trees. As a result, harvests expected in June and July have seen a huge drop.

The situation has worsened due to the inability of many farmers to apply Bordeaux mixture, an antifungal spray for nut mug as well as cocoa, because of the persistent rains. Without the protective treatment, disease has spread rapidly, causing pods to blacken and shrivel while still on the trees. Alarmingly, no new flowers have bloomed yet, raising concerns that future yields will also be affected.

Adding to the distress, cocoa prices, which had peaked at ₹190 per kilo for fresh beans in early 2024, have now plummeted to below ₹90 per kg.