BENGALURU: Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel HD Kumaraswamy has written to Union Agriculture Minister and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan urging him to implement the price deficiency payment scheme (PDPS) through the market intervention scheme for mango growers of Karnataka.
In his letter, Kumaraswamy stated that Karnataka is one of the leading mango producing states in the country, with mango cultivation spread over approximately 1.45 lakh hectares and an estimated production of nearly 10 lakh metric tonnes during the current season.
“Major mango-growing districts such as Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Ramanagara, Bengaluru Rural, Dharwad, Tumakuru and Haveri support the livelihoods of thousands of farming families who depend substantially on horticulture for their income,’’ he said.
Stressing on distress being faced by mango growers in Karnataka, Kumaraswamy urged extending support to growers through the PDPS as it would help bridge the gap between market prices and remunerative prices, thereby ensuring fair returns to farmers without causing market distortions, he said.
He also said such support would provide much-needed income protection to mango growers, particularly in districts such as Kolar, where horticulture plays a vital role in the rural economy. Kumaraswamy urged Chouhan to examine the matter sympathetically and consider providing appropriate support to mango growers in Karnataka under the PDPS scheme.