MSME Minister Assures All Help to Mango Growers in AP

Visakhapatnam: MSME minister Kondapalli Srinivas assured all help to farmers in growing more mangoes and fetching a better price in the market, with special focus on exports.

Addressing a buyer-seller meeting that the Horticulture department organised in Vizianagaram on Saturday, Srinivas acknowledged that though farmers are growing mangoes on a large scale, they are not getting better prices.

“Farmers should learn techniques to grow better quality mangoes, which fetch a good price in international markets,” he underlined. He advised the state’s farmers to learn techniques being adopted by farmers of other states in growing export-quality mangoes.

At the meeting, officials gave a PowerPoint presentation on harvesting quality mangoes, packing, transporting and marketing.

Special chief secretary and in-charge for north Andhra districts Buduthi Rajasekhar made it clear to farmers that they must improve the quality of their fruit if it is to be exported to global markets. He suggested that farmers should reduce use of chemicals and focus on natural farming.

Rajasekhar said horticulture workshops will be held in all districts to educate farmers in new techniques and methods of growing quality fruits.

Those present at the meeting included Nellimarla MLA Lokam Madhavi and MLC Dr. Suresh Babu.

Farmers grow mangoes over 3.5 lakh hectares in AP. In Vizianagaram district, the fruit trees are spread over 30,000 hectares. The average production in the state hovers between 45–50 lakh tonnes per annum.

The popular varieties grown in the state are Banginapalli, China Rasalu, Pedda Rasalu, Totapuri, Neelam and Suvarnarekha.

Buyers from Delhi, Maharshtra, Odisha and Hyderabad participated in the buyer-seller meet held in Vizianagaram, Horticulture deputy director Jamadagni said.