VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has urged the Centre to extend financial support to Totapuri mango farmers facing a severe price crisis by implementing the Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS).
In a letter to Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Chief Minister sought Rs 281 crore in Central assistance to facilitate the procurement of 7.03 lakh metric tonnes of Totapuri mangoes and protect farmers from losses.
Naidu said Totapuri mango prices have crashed this season due to the suspension of mango pulp exports following international developments and the resulting decline in procurement by processing industries. He stressed that central intervention was essential to safeguard the livelihoods of thousands of mango growers in the state.
The Chief Minister noted that Andhra Pradesh is the country’s largest mango-producing State, with mango cultivation spread across 3.99 lakh hectares and an annual production of 52.65 lakh metric tonnes. He said Totapuri mangoes are cultivated on nearly 91,011 hectares in the Rayalaseema districts of Chittoor, Tirupati, Annamayya and Kadapa, yielding around 8.65 lakh metric tonnes and supporting the livelihoods of lakhs of farming families.
Naidu said farmers are under severe financial stress due to rising cultivation costs and the sharp fall in market prices.
He informed the Union Minister that the AP government has initiated procurement of 7.03 lakh metric tonnes of Totapuri mangoes under the Market Intervention Scheme and has decided to provide an additional Rs 4 per kg to farmers through the Price Deficiency Payment Scheme.
The CM requested the Centre to implement the Market Intervention Scheme and extend support under the PDPS for procurement during the June-Aug 2026 season to ensure remunerative prices.