Communist Party of India (CPI) State Secretary K. Ramakrishna on Friday expressed serious concern over the plight of mango farmers in Andhra Pradesh and urged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to immediately respond and initiate steps to procure mangoes through central assistance.
In a statement released on Friday (July 4), Mr. Ramakrishna highlighted that while Andhra Pradesh is renowned nationwide for its mango production, farmers are currently suffering due to lack of procurement support. He noted that the Central government has already agreed to intervene in Karnataka under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for 2025–26, fixing the procurement price at ₹1,616 per quintal for up to 2.5 lakh metric tonnes of mangoes.
This intervention came after Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan responded to a request from Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, representing Karnataka. “It is unfortunate that despite Andhra Pradesh playing a key role in the Central coalition government, mango farmers here continue to face immense hardship,” he said.
He criticised the TDP-led alliance government in the State for its inaction on the issue. “It is disappointing that the State government has shown no initiative to address the crisis, even though the Central government is supporting Karnataka farmers.”
Mr. Ramakrishna appealed to the Chief Minister to intervene immediately, hold discussions with the Central government, and ensure that a similar Market Intervention Scheme is implemented in the State to safeguard the interests of thousands of mango farmers.
Published – July 04, 2025 11:33 pm IST
