The Krishnagiri Reservoir Project (KRP) Dam left canal watershed farmers’ association submitted a petition to the district administration seeking to convene a tripartite meeting for fixing of mango prices between mango growers and mango pulp industry here. According to the association, without the district administration-led meeting, farmers end up getting paid abysmal prices by the pulp industry.

Over 47,000 hectare(s) is under mango cultivation. A large part of the cultivation entails cultivation of Thotapuri mangoes. However, the mangoes that are cultivated primarily for the pulp industry does not fetch the right price, due to the price cartelisation by the industry. According to the farmers, the price offered is often between ₹3.50 and ₹5 per kg. However, the farmers have been demanding for ₹12 to ₹15 per kg on normal seasons.

They also demanded that the government emulate the Andhra Pradesh’s example of announcing a minimum support price for mangoes to prevent “price syndicate” by the pulp industry. A minimum guaranteed price mediated by the district administration will ensure remunerative income for the farmers, the association stated.