Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has issued comprehensive directives for wide-ranging improvements in the cultivation, processing and marketing system of Totapuri mangoes in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The directives have been issued amid continuous complaints of decline in incomes of farmers producing Totapuri mangoes in the three states. The directives were issued after detailed discussions on the recommendations of a high-level committee constituted by the Minister.
Presenting its report in the meeting, the committee stated that the major reasons behind the decline in Totapuri mango prices this year include lack of timely coordination in processing capacity and procurement arrangements, low quantity of real pulp in mango-based beverages in the domestic market, and fluctuations in the global market. The committee also highlighted that in many places, factories are unable to make timely purchases at the beginning of the season, while farmers’ produce reaches mandis and processing units simultaneously, causing sudden price crashes and leaving farmers at a loss. The committee also recommended the constitution of a Central Coordination and Price Stabilisation Committee, which will function as an apex institutional mechanism for major producing States such as Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to stabilise and systematise the Totapuri mango value chain, the committee.
Addressing the meeting, Mr Chouhan said that the government wants to make the entire Totapuri mango value chain farmer-centric. He said that the Central and State Governments, ICAR, APEDA, Farmer Producer Organisations and the processing industry will all share responsibility, and a clear roadmap will be prepared by coordinating GST, food safety standards and State policies. He expressed confidence that if the suggested measures are implemented in a comprehensive manner, there will be a permanent increase in the income of Totapuri mango-producing farmers in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and Indian mangoes will be able to establish an even stronger identity in the global market.
