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

Last Updated:
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
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.
First Published:
June 13, 2025, 21:31 IST

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Hans India

an hour ago

• Hans India

Amar Veerula Stupa to be tourist destination

Khanapur: The government has sanctioned Rs 1 crore to develop the Amar Veerula Stupa as a tourist destination and the work has almost reached the final stage. 'The memorial garden will be opened soon,' said Khanapur constituency MLA Vedma Bojju Patel. On Saturday, he paid homage to the Amar Veerula Stupa in the Indravelli mandal centre. Later, saplings were planted as part of a programme organised under the auspices of Horticulture. The development work being done at the stupa was inspected. Speaking on the occasion, the MLA said, 'As per the promise made by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the government is making special efforts to beautify the Martyrs' Stupa.' He said that the families of the martyrs have been provided with house plot documents. He said that he will talk to the CM to further develop the Stupa.

Time of India

an hour ago

• Time of India

Loan scam: Case against education consultancy for duping finance firm of Rs 2.5 crore; police probe in Telangana

HYDERABAD: The economic offences wing (EOW) of Cyberabad police has registered a case of cheating and criminal intimidation against the directors of an education consultancy accused of defrauding a city-based non-banking financial company (NBFC) of over Rs 2.5 crore. According to a complaint filed by Keerthi Kumar Jain (44), director of the NBFC, the company disbursed a loan of Rs 1.5 crore on Feb 28, 2024, to an Erragadda-based education consultancy, represented by its directors B Kishore Kumar and B Shravan Kumar Beengi. The loan was sanctioned based on invoice receivables and employee details submitted by the accused. However, a subsequent internal audit revealed that the invoice was fabricated and the employee records were forged. When the NBFC confronted the consultancy and suspended further disbursals, the accused allegedly severed all communication and even issued threats of 'grave consequences' to complainant. "To date, not a single instalment has been repaid. The borrowers are deliberately evading contact, indicating clear intent to cheat from the beginning," Jain said in his complaint. As of March 29, 2025, the outstanding dues, including principal, interest, and charges, amounted to Rs 2.25 crore. Despite repeated visits, calls, emails, and legal notices, there has been no response from the borrowers, prompting the NBFC to approach the police. Based on the complaint, Cyberabad EOW registered a case on June 17 against Kishore and Shravan under sections 318(4) (cheating), 316(2) (criminal breach of trust), read with 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police have initiated an investigation and are currently verifying loan documents and financial transaction details between both parties.

New Indian Express

an hour ago

• New Indian Express

SpiceJet asked to pay Rs 25,000 compensation to passenger for issuing wrong ticket

MUMBAI: A consumer commission here has held that a senior citizen suffered "monetarily and mentally" after SpiceJet issued incorrect tickets while rerouting his journey in 2020, and directed the airline to pay a compensation of Rs 25,000 to the passenger. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Mumbai (Suburban), in the order passed on June 17, held the budget carrier guilty of "deficient service and negligent behaviour" for the error which caused "mental harassment" to the passenger. In view of the urgent need of the passenger (age not specified in the order), the airline had made an alternate booking - where the wrong ticket was issued - after his initial flight was cancelled due to bad weather. The commission acknowledged that the flight cancellation was beyond the control of the airline, and the Air Traffic Control (ATC) had taken the decision in view of the passengers' safety. It noted the airline had taken all the necessary efforts to provide an alternate ticket to the complainant, However, the said ticket was incorrect and thereby the complainant suffered "monetarily and mentally", it said. The commission further stated the complainant also "acted negligently". "Had the complainant checked the ticket when it was issued, the mistake could have been rectified on the spot and the complainant could have saved himself from further hardship," it said. The complainant, a senior citizen residing in Ghatkopar area here, booked Spicejet tickets from Mumbai to Darbhanga for December 5, 2020, and a return journey two days later.