This year, the essential neem blossom might not be present in the Ugadi pachadi.
On the eve of Ugadi, which marks the start of the Telugu New Year, farmers complained that neem trees are suffering from the 'dieback' fungal disease for the second year in a row.
They did not bloom correctly and the production of flowers was also low.
People are reliant on sellers in places like Lingampally, Kukatpally, Public Gardens, and Khairatabad because the trees there are brown and wilted.
Scientists from the Forest College Research Institute confirmed that the trees took longer to recover than anticipated due to unseasonal rains and higher moisture levels in the air.
The disease causes leaf wilting, which reduces flowering, twig development, and even fruit production.
A tiny bunch of 3-4 twigs was selling for Rs 25-30 in the markets, which was significantly higher than the price last year.