According to Andhra Pradesh government officials, since the price of the mango variety is significantly lower in Karnataka, businesses in the state may prefer to purchase from the neighbouring state, leaving local farmers in distress.
Published Jun 12, 2025 | 1:17 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 12, 2025 | 1:17 PM
Fresh large Totapuri mangoes. (iStock)
Synopsis: The Andhra Pradesh government said that it imposed the ban on the import of Totapuri mango from Karnataka to protect the interests of farmers in the state from low prices. Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote a letter to his Andhra Pradesh counterpart, N Chandrababu Naidu, and expressed deep concern over the ban.
Justifying its ban on the import of Totapuri mango from Karnataka into the Chittor district, sources from the Andhra Pradesh government said on Thursday, 12 June, that it was imposed to protect the interests of farmers in the state from low prices.
According to Andhra Pradesh government officials, since the price of the mango variety is significantly lower in Karnataka, businesses in the state may prefer to purchase from the neighbouring state, leaving local farmers in distress.
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have been locked in a dispute after the Chittoor district collector, on 7 June, imposed a ban on Totapuri (Ginimoothi) mangoes from states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The Andhra Pradesh government said it had announced the procurement price for Totapuri mangoes, which are primarily used for pulp processing, at ₹8 per kg this year, the rate at which processors will purchase mangoes directly from farmers.
However, in view of the low base price and higher expected supply, the state government agreed to supplement the price with an additional ₹4 per kg, ensuring that farmers receive a total realisation of ₹12 per kg. The government said this measure aims to provide fair compensation to mango growers.
The state planned to procure 5.5 lakh tonnes of Totapuri mangoes this year at an expected expenditure of ₹220 crore.
However, officials raised concerns about the inflow of mangoes from neighbouring Karnataka, where the price is significantly lower, around ₹5 per kg.
They said if processors were allowed to source mangoes from Karnataka, they may prefer the cheaper produce, leaving Andhra Pradesh farmers at a disadvantage and warned that it could escalate into a major crisis for local farmers, potentially turning into a law and order issue.
Further, since the Karnataka government has not announced a support price for its mango farmers, Andhra Pradesh officials have urged the state to declare a minimum procurement price to ensure minimum viability for farmers and to prevent market distortions.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote a letter to his Andhra Pradesh counterpart, N Chandrababu Naidu, and expressed deep concern over 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. These farmers have long relied on the robust linkages with Chittoor-based processing and pulp extraction units for marketing their produce. The current restriction has disrupted this well-established supply chain and threatens significant post-harvest losses, directly impacting the livelihoods of thousands of farmers,” he said.
“Moreover, actions of this nature, taken without prior consultation or coordination, run contrary to the spirit of cooperative federalism. I am also concerned that this may lead to avoidable tension and retaliatory measures, with stakeholders already expressing discontent that could potentially disrupt the inter-State movement of vegetables and other agricultural commodities,” he added.
Siddaramiah sought the intervention of Naidu and requested that necessary directions be issued to the authorities in Chittoor District for the immediate revocation of the order. He urged Naidu to take swift steps to restore the seamless movement of agricultural produce in the interest of farmer welfare.
Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh had also written to her Andhra Pradesh counterpart K Vijayanand, requesting him to lift the ban. The ban, she claimed, undermined the spirit of cooperative federalism and risked triggering retaliatory sentiments.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
