AP CM Urges Centre To Support Totapuri Mango Farmers Through PDPS

Vijayawada: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has appealed to the Centre to extend urgent support to Totapuri mango farmers in Andhra Pradesh in view of the sharp fall in prices and disruptions in mango pulp exports.

In a letter to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Chief Minister sought implementation of the price deficiency payment scheme (PDPS) under the market intervention initiative. He pleaded for financial assistance of Rs 281 crore to protect growers from heavy losses.

Naidu explained that AP remained the country’s leading mango-producing state, with mango cultivation spread across 3.99 lakh hectares and an annual production of 52.65 lakh metric tonnes.

Totapuri mango, a key commercial variety, is cultivated on nearly 91,011 hectares in the Rayalaseema districts of Chittoor, Tirupati, Annamayya and YSR Kadapa, yielding around 8.65 lakh metric tonnes and providing livelihood to lakhs of farming families.

The chief minister noted that international developments have adversely affected mango pulp exports, while processing industries have curtailed procurement, leading to a steep decline in Totapuri mango prices in the domestic market. Rising cultivation costs coupled with the price crash have pushed farmers into financial distress during the current season, he said.

To mitigate the crisis, the state government has initiated a market intervention programme covering the procurement of 7.03 lakh metric tonnes of Totapuri mangoes. Under the scheme, farmers would receive an additional incentive of Rs 4 per kg over prevailing market prices.

Naidu urged the Centre to support the initiative by implementing the PDPS and approving financial assistance for procurement operations scheduled between June and August this year. He stressed that timely intervention by the central government would provide much-needed relief to mango growers and help stabilise the market.