CM Chandrababu Urges Centre To Support Totapuri Mango Farmers Amid Price Crash

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has sought urgent intervention from the Union government to provide financial relief to Totapuri mango growers who are facing severe losses due to a sharp decline in market prices this season.

In a letter to Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Chief Minister requested the implementation of the Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) to protect farmers from mounting financial distress.

Naidu highlighted that the state government has already decided to procure 7.03 lakh metric tonnes of Totapuri mangoes and has sought Rs 281 crore in central assistance to support the initiative. He urged the Centre to extend financial backing so that growers are not forced to sell their produce at unremunerative prices.

According to the Chief Minister, the crisis has been triggered by a sudden collapse in Totapuri mango prices following disruptions in the mango pulp industry. He noted that international developments have adversely affected mango pulp exports, while several processing units have either reduced or halted procurement, leading to a sharp fall in demand for the fruit.

Naidu pointed out that Andhra Pradesh is the country's largest mango-producing state, with mango cultivation spread across nearly 3.9 lakh hectares and annual production of around 5.26 million tonnes . Totapuri, one of the state's most important commercial mango varieties, is cultivated on about 91,000 hectares , largely in the Rayalaseema region, generating an annual output of approximately 8.6 lakh tonnes .

The Chief Minister said that lakhs of farming families depend on the crop for their livelihood and are now struggling due to rising cultivation costs and depressed market prices. To cushion the impact, the state government has decided to undertake large-scale procurement under the Market Intervention Scheme.

In addition to procurement, Andhra Pradesh has also announced an incentive of Rs 4 per kilogram for eligible farmers. The support programme is scheduled to run from June to August , covering the peak marketing season for Totapuri mangoes.

Naidu appealed to the Union government to provide assistance under the PDPS framework and cooperate in the effective implementation of the Market Intervention Scheme, arguing that timely support would help stabilise prices and safeguard the interests of thousands of mango growers across the state.