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New Indian Express
25-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Factors contributing to mango farmers' distress in Andhra Pradesh
NELLORE: Mango farmers in Chittoor and Nellore districts are reeling under a severe crisis this season, despite a bumper harvest. A combination of factors including crashing market prices, delayed procurement, unseasonal rains and pest infestations, has turned what should have been a profitable season into a nightmare for thousands of growers, particularly those cultivating the Totapuri variety. The state government had declared a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 12 per kg for Totapuri mangoes along with a Rs 4/kg subsidy to stabilize incomes. However, in reality, mangoes are being bought for as little as Rs 4-5/kg. Traders and pulp units blame market saturation and competition from neighbouring Karnataka for ignoring MSP norms. 'Last year, we earned up to Rs 30,000 per tonne. This time, we're forced to sell for as little as Rs 4,000. We're not just losing profits - we're sinking in debt,' saaid Kesavulu, a mango farmer from Chittoor district, standing beside crates of unsold fruit. Enforcement of MSP for mangoes ineffective: farmers Chittoor district saw a staggering 5 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of Totapuri mangoes this season, but only a fraction was processed - just 7 MT per day. Tirupati also witnessed low procurement despite harvesting 1.55 lakh MT. The early onset of the monsoon led to premature harvesting and a market glut, while processing units remained inactive. Nature dealt another blow as strong winds and unseasonal rains in parts of Chittoor destroyed orchards just ahead of harvest, with an estimated 550 tonnes of mangoes lost. Moreover, infestations of sooty mold, fruit flies, and other pests rendered large quantities of fruit unsuitable for pulp extraction. This forced many pulp units to suspend operations. 'It costs around Rs 65 to produce a kilo of mango pulp. If the fruit is of poor quality, we can't recover costs. That's why we are not buying mangoes this season,' pulp trader N S Rao explained their dilemma. Despite intervention by officials, including Chittoor MP Daggumalla Prasad Rao and local district collectors, ground realities remain bleak. Farmers claim enforcement of the MSP is ineffective and accuse traders of exploiting the situation. 'Some traders are billing at Rs 20,000 per tonne but deducting 12% in hidden charges. There's no regulation or oversight,' Venkata Ramana, a local farmer said. 'We lost not just the crop but the trees as well. It will take years to recover,' K. Nagaraj, another farmer affected by storms, added.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Totapuri mango price drop worries farmers
Tirupati: Mango farmers in Chittoor and Tirupati districts are in distress as the onset of early monsoon, coupled with the middlemen syndicate's greed, has crashed the prices of Totapuri variety to an all-time low of 4,000 a ton, down from last year's high of 18,000 to 30,000 a ton. The erstwhile combined Chittoor district is referred to as the mango capital of the country as the fruit is extensively grown in an extent of approximately 2.87 lakh acres here. Totapuri is one of the widely grown mango varieties in Chittoor and Tirupati districts and account for nearly 90% of the overall mango farming in the region. Table varieties like Benisha, Sindoora, Alphonsa, Khadar and other varieties are grown in the remaining 10% of farmlands. While table varieties are sold in open markets, Totapuri variety is exclusively supplied to 60 odd mango pulp units in the districts. With an average annual output of close to 7.5 lakh tonnes, Chittoor registers an impressive turnover of 1,000 plus crore in mango sales annually, with the pride mangoes from the district exported to several countries. But unfortunately, though the district received bountiful timely rains leading to a desired mango yield this year, farmers who grew the Totapuri variety are in distress as the middlemen and pulp owners' syndicate haven't even opened the market even though the mango season for the year is drawing to a close. Giridhar Reddy, a trader at Damalacheruvu Mango Nagar market, said while representatives of pulp industries approach farmers for Totapuri variety as early as April every year, this year they have stayed away though June has set in and the mango season will end soon. The early onset of monsoon has further worsened their woes, forcing farmers to pluck the fruits early, leading to a scenario of oversupply in the mango markets. Mango farmers from the region said when YSRCP govt was in power, TDP leaders promised to end the syndicate's reign over mango markets and assured farmers of remunerative prices for their yield once the party returned to power in the state. "Unfortunately, while farmers who grew Totapuri last year earned anywhere between 18,000 and 30,000 per ton, this year the prices have crashed to 4,000 a ton, resulting in huge losses. The state govt has not even held meetings to fix a minimum support price for the mango yield," rued Kesavulu, a mango farmer from Puttur mandal.
