Mango Wars: Karnataka Calls For Federalism, Andhra Pradesh Asks It To Work For Farmers

Last Updated:June 13, 2025, 17:15 IST

The conflict intensified after Siddaramaiah penned a letter to his Andhra counterpart, urging the withdrawal of a ban on the entry of Karnataka-grown Totapuri mangoes into Chittoor

Mango farmers in Karnataka's Srinivaspur region staged a 10-hour 'bandh' (strike) on Wednesday, demanding a support price of Rs 15 per kilogram for their produce. (News18)

A simmering dispute over the trade of Totapuri mangoes has erupted between neighbours Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, with accusations of protectionism and calls for federalism dominating the discourse.

The conflict intensified after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah penned a letter to his Andhra Pradesh counterpart, urging the withdrawal of a ban on the entry of Karnataka-grown Totapuri mangoes into Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district.

Karnataka Cries Foul, Cites Farmer Distress

Siddaramaiah’s letter highlighted the “considerable hardship" being faced by Karnataka’s mango farmers due to the alleged ban. Karnataka argues that such restrictions impede the free movement of agricultural produce and disregard the principles of federalism.

Andhra Pradesh Hits Back

Andhra Pradesh, however, has swiftly retaliated, asserting that its actions are aimed at safeguarding its own mango farmers from a potential market collapse. Sources within the Andhra Pradesh government contend that Karnataka has failed to announce a crucial support price for its farmers, making their mangoes significantly cheaper.

“Karnataka’s price is quite low, around Rs 5 per kilogram," an Andhra Pradesh government source stated. “If we allow Karnataka mangoes to enter, processors would naturally prefer to buy from them, which would cause a major crisis for our own farmers and could even lead to significant law and order issues."

‘Proactive Procurement Strategy’

Andhra Pradesh claims that they employed a robust procurement strategy to ensure a viable price for their farmers. Andhra Pradesh government sources explained that as a conventional practice, they annually announce a procurement price for Totapuri mangoes at which processors are mandated to purchase from farmers for pulp production. This year, the announced price is Rs 8 per kilogram.

Recognising the challenge of low prices and anticipated high supplies, the Andhra Pradesh government has further agreed to supplement this price by an additional Rs 4 per kilogram. This ensures a reasonable farmer realisation of Rs 12 per kilogram. The state has ambitious plans to procure 5.5 lakh tonnes of mangoes this year, earmarking Rs 220 crore for this price augmentation initiative.

“Karnataka hasn’t announced any price for their farmers and should do so to ensure minimum viability for their farmers," an Andhra Pradesh government source reiterated.

Farmers Protest

Adding to the complexity, mango farmers in Karnataka’s Srinivaspur region staged a 10-hour ‘bandh’ (strike) on Wednesday, demanding a support price of Rs 15 per kilogram for their produce. The bandh, called by the Mango Growers’ Association and other farmer organisations, saw protesters gather on Chintamani Road on the outskirts of Srinivaspur town.

Following two rounds of talks with the deputy commissioner, and assurances that district in-charge minister Byrathi Suresh would address their concerns, the protesters curtailed their bandh.

Narayana Gowda, a mango farmer from Srinivaspura, voiced his frustration: “The district administration and the [Andhra Pradesh] government have put a condition that at any cost you shouldn’t buy mango from Srinivaspura market, and if they do, they won’t be given minimum support price. In a democracy, you can sell any vegetable and fruit anywhere. I don’t know why the Andhra Pradesh government has said this."

Harish Upadhya

Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India's space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi...Read More

Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India's space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi...

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