Meember of Parliament from Chittoor Daggumalla Prasada Rao on Sunday (March 23) urged the Central government to take immediate steps to support mango farmers affected by natural calamities.
Speaking to the media here, the MP proposed the establishment of a dedicated Mango Board to enhance the welfare of mango growers and boost exports.
Mr. Prasada Rao highlighted Andhra Pradesh State’s dominance in mango cultivation, with over 3.7 lakh hectares dedicated to the crop. He emphasized that districts like Krishna, Chittoor, and Godavari are key to mango production.
The MP said that the Totapuri variety mangoes from Chittoor are a significant source of mango pulp exports, particularly to Ukraine. But, due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, exports were being severely disrupted, leading to financial distress among farmers.
Mr. Prasada Rao expressed concern over the high import duties imposed by the European Union on mango pulp, which is considerably higher than the standards existing in the African countries. The MP urged the Union government to initiate negotiations with the European countries to reduce these exorbitant tariffs, as this would augur well for the mango growers in Andhra Pradesh to be more competitive and productive.
Regarding the 2025-26 Union Budget, the MP hailed the Modi-led NDA government for giving key importance to the agriculture sector, with a 3.89% hike in budgetary allocation. He also commended the PM-KISAN scheme, with a disbursal of ₹43.46 lakh crore to 11 crore farmers in 18 installments since 2019. He further mainatined that the enhancement of the Kisan Credit Card loan limit from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh would go a long way in empowering the agriculture sector.
The MP urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure minimum support prices for mango farmers and bring in relief measures for those hit by adverse climatic conditions.
Published - March 23, 2025 04:34 pm IST
