States » SouthPosted at: Jun 24 2025 6:18PM


Centre bails out mango farmers after HDK's distress signal

Bengaluru, June 24 (UNI) In a major relief to mango farmers grappling with price crashes and lack of market support, the Union Government has approved a Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for Karnataka.
The decision comes in response to a letter by Union Minister for Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy, who raised urgent concerns regarding the severe losses being suffered by mango growers in the state and surrounding regions.
Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in an official communication to Kumaraswamy dated Tuesday informed that the Centre has sanctioned procurement of up to 2.5 lakh metric tonnes of mangoes at a Market Intervention Price (MIP) of Rs 1616 per quintal for the 2025-26 marketing year.
"The decision aims to stabilise market conditions and provide much-needed support to mango farmers," Chouhan stated in his letter, expressing confidence that the move will reduce distress sales and ensure fair prices to farmers.
This comes amid mango farmers in districts like Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Ramanagara, and Tumakuru, who were discarding their produce or selling at throwaway prices due to market oversupply and lack of buyers. The mango prices had fallen below Rs 700 per quintal in several mandis, well below the cost of production.
Kumaraswamy, who hails from Karnataka and has been active in advocating for farmer welfare, had written to the Agriculture Ministry seeking urgent central assistance. In his letter, he had described the crisis as "agricultural distress on the brink of disaster" and warned of potential farmer protests if government support was not forthcoming.
Kumaraswamy welcomed the Centre’s swift response. "This is not a political victory but a moral response to farmers' pain. I thank Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for acting quickly and positively on my request," he said.
Farmer unions and horticulture experts have welcomed the announcement but urged the state government to ensure effective ground-level implementation.
Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha spokesperson TM Manjunath said, "This is a lifeline for mango growers, but it must be executed efficiently. We hope procurement starts immediately and is extended to all affected districts."
State agriculture officials said procurement centers would be opened soon in mango-dense regions, and that the Karnataka government would coordinate with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) for logistics.
This year’s bumper mango harvest, coupled with unseasonal rains and erratic market demand, has led to a supply glut. According to horticulture department data, Karnataka has produced over 9.2 lakh metric tonnes of mangoes this season, one of the highest in recent years.
The state, which is among India's top three mango-producing regions, exports large quantities of Alphonso, Banganapalli, and Mallika varieties. However, international and domestic demand has been inconsistent this year due to logistical bottlenecks and market saturation, leading to heavy losses.
While the Centre’s MIS move is being seen as a timely intervention, experts say more structural reforms in fruit procurement, cold storage, and farmer market linkages are essential to avoid recurring crises. As Karnataka’s mango season peaks over the next two weeks, attention now shifts to how quickly the procurement operations roll out and whether they reach small and marginal farmers.
The Agriculture Ministry has indicated that it will continue to monitor the situation and consider extending the scheme if market instability persists.
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