Siddaramaiah Puts Mango Matchup With Andhra In Centre's 'Aambit', Seeks Urgent Intervention

Last Updated:June 13, 2025, 21:32 IST

Siddaramaiah has urged union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to implement a Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for mango

Every year, nearly three lakh tonnes of Totapuri mangoes are transported from Karnataka to pulp processing units in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. But this season, processors are offering just Rs 4 per kg—a rate farmers say is completely unsustainable. Representational pic/PTI

The mango war between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh has been escalated by chief minister Siddaramaiah, who has written to union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, seeking immediate intervention.

Siddaramaiah has urged the Centre to implement a “Price Deficiency Payment Scheme" (PDPS) for mangoes under the Market Intervention Scheme. He has also called for designated central procurement agencies like NAFED and NCCF to begin procurement at an approved intervention price. This, he said, would act as a safety net for mango farmers and ensure they receive at least the minimum cost of cultivation.

“Timely intervention would help stabilise prices, prevent further rural distress, and ensure the farming community’s interests are protected during this difficult period," Siddaramaiah said.

The move follows a lack of response from Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu to an earlier letter from Siddaramaiah, as well as an appeal made by Karnataka chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh to her Andhra counterpart seeking withdrawal of a ban imposed on the entry of Totapuri mangoes from Karnataka into Chittoor district.

In his June 11 letter to Naidu, Siddaramaiah described the ban as “unilateral" and contrary to the spirit of cooperative federalism. He warned that such actions could trigger retaliatory measures and further strain interstate relations.

Earlier, chief secretary Rajneesh had also written to Andhra counterpart K Vijayanand, urging him to revoke the order issued by the Chittoor district administration. “This abrupt restriction has severely impacted mango farmers in Karnataka’s border districts, who rely heavily on Chittoor-based processing units. The disruption of this long-standing trade link could result in significant post-harvest losses," she noted.

Explaining the crisis to the Centre, Siddaramaiah said mango farmers in Karnataka are suffering major losses as prices crash during peak harvest. Mango is cultivated across over 1.39 lakh hectares in districts such as Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru Urban, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, and Bengaluru South, with an estimated 8–10 lakh metric tonnes expected this season.

Prices, which had peaked at Rs 12,000 per quintal, have dropped to as low as Rs 3,000. The Karnataka State Agricultural Price Commission estimates the cost of cultivation at Rs 5,466 per quintal. “This mismatch is placing enormous financial strain on growers," Siddaramaiah said.

Every year, nearly three lakh tonnes of Totapuri mangoes are transported from Karnataka to pulp processing units in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. But this season, processors are offering just Rs 4 per kg—a rate farmers say is completely unsustainable. “It’s inadequate," said Nalathur Chinnappa Reddy, president of the Kolar Mango Producers’ Association.

Reddy said Andhra Pradesh has fixed a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 8 per kg for Totapuri, with the state subsidising Rs 4. “Our harvest season has just begun. We have only a month to sell our crop," he said.

Chittoor collector Sumeet Kumar, who issued the entry ban, defended the decision, saying it was aimed at protecting local farmers and stabilising the market.

Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh and Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu are major hubs for mango pulp processing. After two years of low Totapuri yields, processors had paid higher prices. However, reduced off-take by multinational buyers and exporters in 2022–23 and 2023–24 led to stockpiles, prompting a steep cut in procurement prices this year.

Rohini Swamy

Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t...Read More

Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t...

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