Mango Farmers Launch Campaign for ₹12/kg MSP on Totapuri Variety

swift Summary

• The Chittoor district unit of the Mango Farmers Welfare Association has announced plans to intensify its agitation for a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹12 per kg for Totapuri mangoes.
• A district committee meeting, led by President T. Janardhan, outlined measures such as a signature campaign involving 50,000 farmers. The petition will be submitted to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
• Farmers expressed dissatisfaction over local pulp industries and procurement ramps issuing bills as low as ₹4 per kg despite previous assurances regarding MSP and subsidies from the Chief Minister.
• The association urged District Collector Sumit Kumar to enforce government orders aimed at protecting farmers’ interests and preventing exploitation by pulp units.
• Planned activities include signature collection (August 4-10), gram sabhas with resolution passing in support of MSP, and a black badge protest at Gandhi Bomma Centre in Chittoor on August 11.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The demand for an MSP highlights critical economic concerns faced by Totapuri mango farmers in Chittoor district. The disparity between promised government support and ground realities-where procurement rates drop substantially lower than assured-is creating financial stress among cultivators who are vital contributors to India’s agricultural income.

The planned agitation reflects both organized resistance against perceived exploitation by private entities like pulp mills and efforts to hold authorities accountable for prior commitments on pricing safeguards. If prosperous, these actions could set precedents for broader farmer movements advocating fairer pricing mechanisms across sectors.

Immediate steps toward resolving this dispute may not only protect mango farmers but also reinforce greater trust between agricultural communities and governance structures-an essential factor amid growing rural challenges nationally.

Read more: Published August 03, 2025