<p>The orchard owners and lease holders of the district are in a good mood, especially after the demoralising effect of demonetisation. This is because their mango and cashew orchards are in full bloom. Farmers claim that this is the best flowering season in the last four years and are praying that it is not ruined by untimely summer storms.Authorities in the horticulture department claim it is too early to predict but they too are hoping for a bumper crop. "It is true that the orchards are in full bloom, especially mango with cashew showing early promise. However, it is too early to jump up in joy. We have to be careful about pests as most farmers and lease holders tend to over use fungicides and pesticides. Any major storm or gale could spell disaster as well," said K Satyamurthy a scientist with the Agro Research Centre in Anakapalli.</p> <p>More than 2 lakh acres of land across the district comprises mango orchards as a mixed plantation crop. P Palai Raju, a mango trader from Tuni market in East Godavari, said, "I have taken 500 acres of mango-cashew topes on lease in Visakhapatnam district alone, chiefly around Narsipatnam. I am hoping that all will be well. However, the uncertainty factor will always be there."Farmers too are upbeat about the anticipated bumper crop. "The last five years have been pretty dull for us with farmers getting not more than Rs 8,000 to 10,000 per acre of mango crop in a year. Hopefully, with a bumper crop we can expect the traders and lease holders paying us better in the coming years," said a farmer.</p>