Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu came to the rescue of mango farmers in India’s Chittoor district to ensure processing plants pay a minimum price of Rs 7.50 (€0.09) per kg. This was very good news for about 60,000 mango farmers in his home district.
Due to a recent glut, the price of mango pulp dropped steeply, leading to farmers taking to the streets seeking Rs 8 (€0.10) per kg for their produce. Several political parties came out in support of the farmers, demanding that the government would rescue them by directing the industries to pay the minimum support price.
The farmers had been happy when processing plants offered Rs 12 per kg in May, but were alarmed when the prices were slashed to Rs 8 and then to Rs 4.50 by late June on the ground that there was no demand for the pulp.
Contrary to earlier predictions, the mango crop was good this season, resulting in heavy production of the pulp variety which occupies 75 per cent of the total crop area of 250,000 acres in the Chittoor district, one of the leading mango producers in India.
Thehansindia.com described how the Chief Minister intervened in the crisis, responding -probably with an eye on the elections- that the government on its part would pay Rs 2.50 per kg to the farmers to bail them out.
