Tirupati: Andhra Pradesh Freedom Party General Secretary Choudhary Ramanna stated that mango farmers across the erstwhile Chittoor district are grappling with mounting losses as market prices for their produce continue to remain far below expectations, prompting renewed calls for government intervention.
In a statement on Tuesday, Choudhary Ramanna alleged that growers are unable to recover cultivation costs due to the sharp decline in procurement prices.
Mango farmers have been demanding a minimum support price of Rs 15 per kilogram, but are currently forced to sell their produce at much lower rates.
Choudhary Ramanna felt that the government’s support of Rs 4 per kg will not provide any meaningful relief. Choudhary Ramanna claimed that while pulp manufacturing units had initially indicated a procurement rate of Rs 6 per kg, several farmers were reportedly receiving even less than Rs 4 per kg.
Despite the presence of nearly 42 mango pulp processing factories in the district, growers are said to be spending several hours waiting in tractors and lorries to dispose of their harvest.
Choudhary Ramanna also expressed concern over reports that some orchard owners were considering cutting down mango trees as cultivation had become economically unsustainable.
Low market prices, rising input costs and the absence of adequate subsidies were pushing farmers towards drastic decisions, he alleged.
Urging the government to act swiftly, the Freedom Party AP General Secreaty Choudhary Ramanna called for immediate measures to safeguard the interests of mango growers and ensure remunerative prices for their produce.
Without timely intervention by the Chandra Babu Naidu Governmentt and Narendra Modi's union Government, the livelihoods of thousands of farming families in the region could be severely affected, he felt.
