Bengaluru, June 12 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to immediately revoke a reported ban on the entry of Totapuri mangoes from Karnataka into Chittoor district, calling the move "unilateral" and damaging to farmers' livelihoods.
In a letter dated June 11, Siddaramaiah expressed serious concern over the order allegedly issued by the Chittoor district collector on June 7, which barred the entry of Totapuri mangoes from other states into the district.
The Karnataka CM noted that multidisciplinary enforcement teams involving revenue, police, forest, and marketing department officials had been deployed at inter-state checkposts to enforce the ban.
"This abrupt and unilateral move has caused considerable hardship to mango growers in Karnataka, particularly those in the border regions who cultivate Totapuri mangoes in substantial quantities," the letter stated.
Siddaramaiah said Karnataka farmers have long depended on well-established supply chains with mango processing and pulp extraction units based in Chittoor. The disruption, he warned, threatens post-harvest losses and directly impacts the livelihoods of thousands.
He further said the move was against the "spirit of cooperative federalism" and risked triggering retaliatory measures. "Stakeholders are already expressing discontent that could potentially disrupt the inter-State movement of vegetables and other agricultural commodities," he warned.
The Chief Minister called for immediate intervention from the Andhra Pradesh government and urged Naidu to issue directions to Chittoor district authorities for withdrawal of the order in the larger interest of farmer welfare and agricultural cooperation.
UNI BDN