NELLORE: Mango farmers in Chittoor and Nellore districts are reeling under a severe crisis this season, despite a bumper harvest. A combination of factors including crashing market prices, delayed procurement, unseasonal rains and pest infestations, has turned what should have been a profitable season into a nightmare for thousands of growers, particularly those cultivating the Totapuri variety.
The state government had declared a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 12 per kg for Totapuri mangoes along with a Rs 4/kg subsidy to stabilize incomes.
However, in reality, mangoes are being bought for as little as Rs 4-5/kg. Traders and pulp units blame market saturation and competition from neighbouring Karnataka for ignoring MSP norms.
“Last year, we earned up to Rs 30,000 per tonne. This time, we’re forced to sell for as little as Rs 4,000. We’re not just losing profits - we’re sinking in debt,” saaid Kesavulu, a mango farmer from Chittoor district, standing beside crates of unsold fruit.
Enforcement of MSP for mangoes ineffective: farmers
Chittoor district saw a staggering 5 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of Totapuri mangoes this season, but only a fraction was processed - just 7 MT per day. Tirupati also witnessed low procurement despite harvesting 1.55 lakh MT.
The early onset of the monsoon led to premature harvesting and a market glut, while processing units remained inactive. Nature dealt another blow as strong winds and unseasonal rains in parts of Chittoor destroyed orchards just ahead of harvest, with an estimated 550 tonnes of mangoes lost. Moreover, infestations of sooty mold, fruit flies, and other pests rendered large quantities of fruit unsuitable for pulp extraction. This forced many pulp units to suspend operations. “It costs around Rs 65 to produce a kilo of mango pulp. If the fruit is of poor quality, we can’t recover costs. That’s why we are not buying mangoes this season,” pulp trader N S Rao explained their dilemma.
Despite intervention by officials, including Chittoor MP Daggumalla Prasad Rao and local district collectors, ground realities remain bleak. Farmers claim enforcement of the MSP is ineffective and accuse traders of exploiting the situation. “Some traders are billing at Rs 20,000 per tonne but deducting 12% in hidden charges. There’s no regulation or oversight,” Venkata Ramana, a local farmer said. “We lost not just the crop but the trees as well. It will take years to recover,” K. Nagaraj, another farmer affected by storms, added.
The farming community is calling for urgent measures to salvage the season. Their demands include strict enforcement of the MSP with penalties for violations, faster procurement by both public and private agencies, direct purchase models to eliminate middlemen, and compensation for weather- and pest-related losses.
Unless swift action is taken, the crisis threatens not only this season’s income but the long-term sustainability of mango orchards in this key mango-producing belt. While administrative efforts are reportedly underway, farmers say relief is yet to be seen.
Procurement began on June 9 with initial optimism, and around 40,000 tonnes were picked up early. However, as daily arrivals surged to 5,000 tonnes in Chittoor and 2,000 tonnes in Tirupati, the system became overwhelmed. The influx of cheaper mangoes from Karnataka’s Krishnagiri and Kolar further pushed prices down further.
Of the 39 pulp factories in Chittoor, only 15 are operational now. Though 25 units initially committed to procurement, many have scaled back over pricing concerns. Pulp processors are now offering Rs 6 per kg, with the state’s Rs 4 subsidy making it effectively Rs 10, still short of the promised Rs 12 MSP.
Farmer associations are urging factories to uphold the rate, but oversupply and regional competition make compliance elusive. “State government is taking all steps to ensure justice for Totapuri mango farmers. Every mango would be procured from them and farmers need not to panic. State government is providing a subsidy of `4 per kg, which will be directly credited to farmers’ bank accounts. There is no acreage limit, and the pulp industries in the district can procure the full quantity of produce,” said Dr K Srinivasulu, Director of Horticulture and Sericulture.