Tue Jun 24 15:06:14 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

**Tamil Nadu CM Appeals to Modi for Mango Farmer Relief Amid Price Slump**

CHENNAI, INDIA – June 24, 2025 – Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has urgently requested the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to address the plight of Tamil Nadu mango farmers facing significant financial hardship due to plummeting mango prices.

In a letter sent today, Chief Minister Stalin highlighted the exceptionally high mango production this season, which, paradoxically, has resulted in a sharp decrease of ₹5 per kilogram in the price offered for mango pulp. This price drop has severely impacted farmers’ livelihoods.

Stalin’s appeal includes several key requests: strict enforcement of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) standards during mango procurement for pulp production, a reduction in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate for mango pulp from 12% to 5%, and the implementation of the Market Intervention Scheme (under PM-AASHA) to provide crucial support to mango farmers.

A delegation, led by Tamil Nadu Food Minister R. Sakkarapani and including MPs Tiruchi Siva and Kanimozhi, as well as legislators D. Mathiazhagan and Y. Prakash, will meet with the Union Minister in New Delhi on Wednesday to formally present the Chief Minister’s appeal.

Tamil Nadu cultivates mangoes across 1.46 lakh hectares, yielding a total production of approximately 9.49 lakh metric tons. The Chief Minister hopes swift action will alleviate the financial burden on the state’s mango farmers.

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