Totapuri mango farmers slip further into distress as price crash continues

Thousands of farmers who have grown Totapuri mangoes have been coming to the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis and dumping the harvested yield for low prices, even as it crashed further from ₹4.37 per kg to ₹3 per kg.

Ramesh Babu, a farmer from Srinivasapura in Kolar, said, “I have grown Totapuri mangoes on nearly two acres of my field and harvested a yield of eight tonnes. I parked my tractor in a queue where all the farmers were waiting to register themselves to obtain a support price from the government. But by the time we start registering, the prescribed quantity of procuring mangoes has been exhausted.”

Mr. Babu added, “The Horticulture Department officials have given a token to every farmer and have urged us to wait until the Union government expands the limit of procuring mangoes. But these are not perishable products. For now, I have spread the mangoes in a huge room at home. I will sell them off at a mandi at whatever price I get if the government doesn’t take any decision.”

Meanwhile, Neelatur Chinnappa Reddy, president of Mango Growers’ Welfare Association, Kolar, said, “Unlike other crops that can be grown on a rotational basis, mango farmers cannot do so. Trees cannot be removed and thrown once planted. There is no alternative choice of crop if a farmer has mango trees planted on acres together.”

Last week, the Cooperation Department Secretary wrote to the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare at the Centre, urging it to increase the quantity of procuring Totapuri mangoes from 1.30 lakh tonnes to 5.20 lakh tonnes under Price Deficiency Payment Scheme. However, there has been no response.

At present, more than 12,000 farmers have registered to get a support price. According to the Horticulture Department, another 4,000 farmers are likely to register if the government expands the scheme.

More supply low demand

T.S. Ravi Kumar, secretary, Agricultural Produce Market Committee, Kolar, emphasised a lack of demand amid huge supply. “The prices have decreased because of the huge supply and low demand in the market. In 2024, the same Totapuri mango was priced at ₹20 per kg. From last year, it has reduced to ₹3 to ₹4 per kg. The maximum quantity of Totapuri mangoes grown in Kolar goes to factories for making pulp, which is further used in juice manufacturing industries,” he said.

Mr. Ravi added, “There were four mango processing units in Kolar district which have reduced to three now. One of the owners shut down the processing unit due to excess loss. At present, the owners of factories have said that at least 30% of the pulp processed last year from Totapuri is still in stock.”

The government provides a support price to mangoes up to 200 quintals, limited to five acres for each farmer. It had announced to provide ₹437 per quintal.

Low sales of processed mango juice

K. Surya Chandra Rao, owner of a mango pulp processing unit in Kolar district, said, “In 2022 and 2023, we purchased Totapuri mangoes at ₹50 to ₹70 per kg. From the past two years, the prices have decreased mainly because the sales of mango juice have reduced in the market in comparison to other fruit flavoured drinks. Besides, the price of mango juice bottles has not increased in the recent years.”

The Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation Limited is in talks with the State government to establish a government-based pulp processing unit.

A senior official said, “If everything goes according to plan, then a government pulp processing unit will be announced and established soon.”