17 hours ago
Govt to release Rs 168 cr subsidy for mango farmers
Tirupati / Chittoor: In a major move to support mango farmers in the State, Agriculture and Allied Sectors Minister K Atchannaidu announced that the government will release Rs 168 crore as subsidy.
He emphasised the State's commitment to supporting mango growers in all possible ways and expressed the need to boost mango consumption further.
During his one-day visit to Chittoor and Tirupati districts on Saturday, the Minister interacted with mango farmers, factory owners and processing unit operators. He assured them that the government would take all necessary measures to procure mangoes throughout the season, ensuring that farmers are not left in distress.
The Minister visited the Damalacheruvu market yard in Pakala mandal and a fruit storage unit at Gollamadugu in Gudipala mandal. Addressing the farmers, he stated that they could sell their produce either in local mandals or markets, and that special counters have already been set up by the relevant departments to assist them.
Highlighting the importance of the region, he said that the Damalacheruvu mango yard is the largest in the erstwhile Chittoor district. He also noted that this outreach was organised to understand the challenges of mango farmers and to offer any assistance they might need. He lauded the Chief Minister for his proactive stance in reviewing crop issues meticulously and frequently, an approach he described as unprecedented.
Minister Atchannaidu revealed that Totapuri mangoes are cultivated across 5.5 lakh hectares, and they are primarily used for pulp. He appreciated the consistent efforts of MLAs from Puthalapattu, Chittoor and Chandragiri, who raised the issues of mango farmers with the Chief Minister. Responding swiftly, the Chief Minister announced an additional Rs 4 per kg for mangoes, ensuring the procurement price would not fall below Rs 12 per kg.
This year, the Horticulture Department has sanctioned Rs 218 crore under the Comprehensive Horticulture Development Programme, with Rs 21.60 crore allocated to Chittoor district alone. Referring to the market influx from Karnataka, where mangoes are priced at Rs 3 per kg, the Minister said that such inflow should be controlled to protect local farmers.
Tirupati District Collector Dr S Venkateswar cautioned that early harvesting before fruits ripen is causing losses and mentioned that mangoes from Krishnagiri were flooding the local market, leading to oversupply. He advised farmers to consider alternate crops as well.
Chittoor MP Daggumalla Prasada Rao highlighted export issues due to the Russia-Ukraine war and increased export duties, which led to excess pulp remaining in factories last year and causing hardships for farmers.
MLAs K Murali Mohan (Puthalapattu), Pulivarthi Nani (Chandragiri) and G Jagan Mohan (Chittoor) also shared their perspectives during the visit. Horticulture Secretary Rajasekhar Babu, Commissioner Srinivasulu Reddy, Joint Collectors G Vidyadhari and Shubham Bansal, and several district officials were present.
