20-06-2025
Cabinet to press Centre for relief for mango farmers
Bengaluru: The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to exert pressure on the central government to provide relief for the state's mango growers, who are facing severe distress due to a sharp decline in market prices during the current harvest season.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the cabinet discussed the plight of mango growers, especially concerns raised by Ministers from Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru rural and Mumbai-Karnataka region.
'There have been huge losses and the Chief Minister has been advised regarding providing relief. The CM has instructed Agriculture Minister Cheluvarayaswamy to discuss with the Union Minister once again,' he said. The state Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy has been instructed to visit Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan in New Delhi if required and 'put pressure on the Centre to get as much higher relief possible'.
Asked whether the state government has committed to providing any relief to mango growers, the Minister said, 'No, we are putting pressure on the central government and if our share has to be there in that, it will be considered.'
Regarding CM Siddaramaiah's letter to his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu to withdraw the ban on entry of 'Totapuri Mangoes' into his state, he said the issue was raised by Minister K H Muniyappa, but there was no detailed discussion on this.
Siddaramaiah had also written to the Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Shivaraj Singh Chouhan last week, seeking an urgent Price Deficiency Payment and Market Intervention Scheme for mango farmers in Karnataka.
