Uncertainty dogs mango business in erstwhile Chittoor district of A.P.
While many of the fruit pulp units still remain closed due to lack of encouraging response in the international market, those that opened their gates to the fruit vendors are also worried about the consequences of accepting more stock than needed, fearing if they would be biting more than their ability to chew.
The district bifurcation of 2022 has left Tirupati with fewer fruit processing units, with a chunk of them having gone to Chittoor district. As a result, the Tirupati mango growers are also going towards Gangadhara Nellore and Puthalapattu in the neighbouring district.
Meanwhile, several farmers who resorted to panic harvesting, much against the government's advice to wait, have dumped their yield in the vicinity of fruit pulp units or near the mandis due to lack of remunerative price.
In view of the spurt in supply and the resultant fall in price, and factories expressing reluctance to procure the fruits led to increased waiting time for the trucks and tractors, which means an additional rent burden for the farmers. When the procurement price hovers between ₹3 and ₹4 a kg and not the ₹8 promised by the government, the farmers are forced to dump the yield to at least avoid incurring additional expenditure.
Minister for Agriculture K. Atchannaidu visited the Damalacheruvu market in Pakala mandal recently to infuse confidence among the farmers, but to no avail.
Tirupati District Collector S. Venkateswar and Joint Collector Shubham Bansal, with the horticultural officials in tow, have been visiting the factories, mandis and the ramps, the three major procurement points, to ensure that the farmers are not taken for a ride. Hover, the price has not seen an encouraging rise.
With the change in season likely to bring in gusty winds in a fortnight, the farmers who are yet to harvest Totapuri by paying heed to the government's advice, are worried over the possibility of the fruit withering.
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Hans India
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