India, March 8 -- Alphonso lovers - and who isn't one? - may have to hunt harder for their seasonal indulgence this year, with erratic weather threatening to wipe out up to 80% of the crop in Maharashtra's Alphonso heartland.

According to a report with the state agriculture department, changes in weather such as heat stress, sudden cold spells and unexpected cloudy conditions have adversely impacted mango orchards in the Konkan region, the country's biggest producer of the world-famous Alphonso mango, or Hapus, also known as the 'King of Mangos'.

The report estimates an 80-85% crop loss in the two coastal districts of Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri, which account for most of the Konkan's Alphonso yield. "Weather conditions due to climate chan...