Following a bandh and protest in Srinivaspura, Malur, Kolar and surrounding areas by mango growing farmers on Monday, the Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation Limited (KSMDMCL) and Deputy Commissioner of Kolar District have written to the State government proposing to provide a Minimum Support Price (MSP) to Totapuri mangoes.

This proposal has also been sent to the Union government on Tuesday. Once the Centre approves the MSP, an official circular will be issued by the State government.

Vedamurthy R.T., Managing Director, KSMDMCL, explained, “Keeping in mind the loss to farmers who have grown Totapuri mangoes this year, we have recommended MSP only for this variety and have sent a proposal to the State government. As per Karnataka Agriculture Price Commission (KAPC), the cost of cultivation of one kg Totapuri is ₹39. On this basis, we have submitted a recommendation to the State government to decide the MSP. The State government has recommended ₹17.50 per kg as cost of cultivation. The officials have recommended ₹4.37 per kg as MSP. Now, it is left to the Union government.”

S.R. Kumaraswamy, Deputy Director, Horticulture Department, Kolar District, said “We are expecting that the Union government gives MSP expected by the farmers, which is ₹8,000 to ₹10,000 per tonne.”

Neelatur Chinnappa Reddy, president, District Mango Growers’ Welfare Association, said, “If they give us the demanded price, we can survive. Or else, farmers will be under complete loss. Last year, Totapuri was sold for ₹2 per kg and farmers earned ₹2,000 per tonne.”

He added, “Srinivaspura, Kolar and Malur are known for growing Totapuri mangoes. This year, due to climate extremities like extreme heat and abrupt hailstorms, we lost a large amount of crop. We have spent lakhs to grow mangoes. If the State and Union government fail to provide us the MSP in a day or two, we will continue our protest again.”

Explaining the reason why Totapuri sells for a lower price every year, Mr. Vedamurthy said, “It is a late variety that arrives in the market after all the other varieties have arrived and sold. People prefer consuming mango varieties that are sweeter and juicy, Such varieties arrives in mid April and May. It is one of the few varieties that goes for mango pulp and juice. The private factories quote lower prices and buy them from farmers.”

Meanwhile, the price for other mango varieties are neither too low nor too high in the wholesale and retail markets. Badami Alphonso costs ₹80 per kg in wholesale market. Similarly, Mallika, Banganapalle, Kalapahad, Raspuri, Sindhura, Imam Pasand and others, the price is between ₹ 15 to ₹20 per kg.

Venkat Lakshmamma, a mango farmer from Srinivasapura, said, “Every year, we undergo huge amount of loss growing Totapuri. In retail, it sells for ₹30 per kg and not more. As soon as I harvested the mangoes this year, I have brought them to Bengaluru to sell them in retail markets on pushcarts as well as at the Mango Mela in Lalbagh. Though, I don’t earn huge profits, at least I can get the money that I have invested.”

Another farmer, Syed Ashfaq from Noolapura village in Kolar district, said, “I grow three varieties of mangoes so that I can earn good returns even if I incur loss on Totapuri. I have been able to sell Badami Alphonso for ₹150 to ₹200 per kg, Kaalapahad for ₹70 per kg, but I doubt if I can sell Totapuri variety. The last option to sell Totapuri is in APMC mandi where traders quote as low as ₹2 per kg. Sometimes, I sell to private factories who buy it for ₹3 to ₹4 per kg to make pulp and juice out of Totapuri.”