VIJAYAWADA: In a significant boost for Totapuri mango farmers in Andhra Pradesh, the Centre has greenlit the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) following a proactive request from Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
The Centre’s approval, communicated via a letter dated July 20, 2025, to the Special Secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Department, promises much-needed support to growers grappling with plummeting market prices.
Under this initiative, 1.62 lakh metric tonnes of Totapuri mangoes will be procured at a support price of Rs 1,493.73 per quintal, with the financial burden shared equally between the Centre and the State, offering a lifeline to distressed farmers.
Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani took to X to express deep gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Chouhan for endorsing a Price Deficiency Payment (PDP) scheme within the MIS framework for the 2025-26 season.
The scheme, detailed in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare’s documentation, covers 1.62 lakh metric tonnes, and establishes a Minimum Intervention Price (MIP) of Rs 1,493.73 per quintal, with a maximum support of Rs 372.68.
The cost-sharing model, split 50:50 between the Centre and the State, includes direct benefit transfer (DBT) to farmers to mitigate price falls.
Implementation details in the attached documents specify a 30-day validity from the first transaction, overseen by the Andhra Pradesh government, with district collectors verifying sales and the State notifying eligible traders.
This development follows Naidu’s strategic intervention, spurred by Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu’s diligent efforts. Upon finding that factories were offering low prices to farmers amid surplus yield, he promptly alerted Naidu, who directed factories to buy mangoes at Rs 8 per kg, supplemented by a Rs 4 per kg State subsidy, ensuring farmers received Rs 12 per kg.
During a recent Delhi visit, Atchannaidu met Chouhan, outlining the farmers’ plight, and requesting a 50:50 subsidy split with the Centre. The Centre responded on Tuesday with a 1,493.73 per quintal support price, a decision warmly welcomed by Atchannaidu.
He highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s pioneering Rs 4 per kg subsidy, and credited Naidu and Chouhan for their attentiveness to farmers’ issues. The coalition government’s commitment shines through, with funds to be directly credited to farmers’ accounts, eliciting gratitude from growers.
As farmers rejoice, the focus now shifts to seamless execution, with the scheme’s success hinging on timely DBT disbursals, and effective market oversight.