Andhra CM Naidu Plans Relief for Mango Farmers Facing Crisis

Kuppam (Andhra Pradesh), Jul 3 – In a bid to address the ongoing challenges faced by mango farmers in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu convened a crucial meeting on Thursday with representatives from both the farming community and pulp industry at his Kuppam residence. During the meeting, Naidu highlighted the urgent need for collaboration between mango farmers and pulp processing companies, particularly as the crisis deepens for the agricultural community.

The Chief Minister directed pulp companies to initiate the immediate purchase of mangoes from farmers, assuring them of government support for both the pulp and processing sectors. “The government will also support the pulp industry and processing units,” Naidu emphasized as per an official release. He further promised that the government would develop a comprehensive action plan to prevent future crises of this nature.

Current data presented to Naidu revealed that 1.12 lakh tonnes of mangoes have already been procured, with expectations set for an additional procurement of 1.7 lakh tonnes. Despite this, farmers raised concerns over pulp companies’ reluctance to purchase mangoes, citing insufficient orders and limited storage capacity as contributing factors.

Pulp company representatives and exporters pointed out disparities in import duties, noting that while there are no import duties in countries like Pakistan and several African nations, European markets impose high tariffs. They urged Naidu to engage the Centre in discussions to address these issues and also advocated for a reduction of GST on mango pulp from 12% to 5%.

The CM mentioned in response that he had already corresponded with the Centre regarding the GST rate and reassured stakeholders of his commitment to advance the matter. Additionally, when a proposal was made to include mango juice in students’ mid-day meals for three days a week, Naidu mentioned the existing provision of eggs in the meals but acknowledged that the suggestion would be taken into consideration.

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