Centre plans major reforms to revive Totapuri mango farmers' incomes

The committee recommended creating a Central Coordination and Price Stabilisation Committee that would monitor crop estimates, processing demand, exports and production costs before every mango season.

Falling prices for Totapuri mangoes have pushed thousands of growers in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka into financial distress, prompting the Centre to announce a series of measures that seek to improve cultivation, processing and marketing while creating a more stable market for the fruit.

Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviewed the findings of a high-level expert committee at Krishi Bhavan in New Delhi and said the report would lead to concrete action instead of remaining on paper. The committee had visited orchards, wholesale markets, processing units and met farmers, exporters, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and state officials before submitting its recommendations.

Centre identifies reasons behind price crash

The committee found that poor coordination between processing units and procurement agencies, weak demand for real mango pulp in beverages and fluctuations in international markets contributed to the sharp fall in Totapuri mango prices this season. Delayed purchases by processing factories also resulted in large quantities of fruit arriving at markets simultaneously, creating an oversupply that drove prices down and reduced farmers' earnings.

To increase demand for Totapuri pulp, the panel proposed that mango-based beverages should contain 22 to 25 per cent natural mango pulp. It also suggested retaining the 5 per cent GST only for products meeting this standard while applying higher tax rates to beverages with lower pulp content. Chouhan directed officials to hold discussions with the FSSAI, GST Council, Ministries of Finance, Food Processing, Agriculture and Health to examine the proposal.

New roadmap for stable prices and better production

The committee recommended creating a Central Coordination and Price Stabilisation Committee that would monitor crop estimates, processing demand, exports and production costs before every mango season. The body would also suggest indicative farm-gate procurement prices and reference prices for mango pulp, helping farmers and processors plan their operations with greater certainty.

To improve productivity, the report called for rejuvenating ageing orchards in Andhra Pradesh through top-working, a technique that grafts premium mango varieties such as Alphonso, Neelam, Himayat and Banganapalli onto existing trees. It also recommended expanding Good Agricultural Practices, farmer training programmes and demonstration orchards.

Better quality, value addition and exports

The panel proposed distributing fruit bags across nearly 23,333 hectares in key mango-growing districts to improve fruit quality, reduce pest damage and help farmers access premium markets. It also recommended a standard operating procedure requiring registered processing units in Andhra Pradesh to begin procurement and pulp production from 15 May each year.

Discussions also focused on creating additional income opportunities through farmer-led processing units and value-added products such as mango butter made from mango seed kernels using technologies developed by ICAR institutes.

Representatives from APEDA outlined plans to expand exports of Totapuri mangoes and processed products through cost-effective sea routes. Chouhan said the Centre would prepare an integrated marketing and export strategy with state governments, ICAR and APEDA to strengthen India's position in global mango markets while ensuring the entire Totapuri value chain remains focused on improving farmers' incomes.