
Fri Jun 27 03:05:13 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten version as a news article:
**Summary:**
Mango farmers in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh are facing a crisis due to a bumper crop, low prices offered by pulp units, and a failure by the government to enforce minimum support prices (MSP). Farmers are forced to sell their produce at drastically reduced rates, often below the cost of production, leading to significant financial losses. Pulp units cite various reasons for low procurement and prices, including the Russia-Ukraine war and reduced demand. The situation highlights the volatility of the mango market and the vulnerability of farmers to price fluctuations.
**News Article:**
**Chittoor Mango Farmers Face Ruin as Bumper Crop Leads to Plunging Prices**
**CHITTOOR, India – June 27, 2025** – Mango farmers in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh are grappling with a severe economic crisis as a bumper crop of totapuri and alphonso mangoes has flooded the market, driving prices down and leaving farmers struggling to break even.
Rajendra, a mango farmer from Yadamarri, echoed the frustration of many in the region. After investing ₹15 lakh in his orchard, he was forced to sell his mangoes for a mere ₹4 per kilogram at the Bangarupalem market, a far cry from the expected MSP of ₹8 per kilogram ordered by the government.
The situation is exacerbated by the reluctance of pulp-making units, including multinational corporations, to adhere to the government-mandated MSP and subsidy, leaving farmers at their mercy. Long queues of tractor-trailers outside pulp factories, some stretching for kilometers, illustrate the scale of the problem.
“We are headed for a disaster,” said Kothur Babu, a senior mango farmer and BJP district leader, accusing pulp units of forming a syndicate to deliberately delay procurement and exploit the perishable nature of the crop.
The pulp industry, represented by Govardhan Bobby of the All India Food Processors Association-South Zone, claims that factors such as the Russia-Ukraine war, the ongoing conflict in West Asia, and a backlog of unsold pulp from previous years have contributed to the crisis. He also notes that the cost of exports has increased due to the closure of the Red Sea route.
While the district administration has assured farmers that procurement will continue until August, many remain skeptical, fearing that their produce will rot before it can be sold. The crisis has sparked political protests, with opposition parties demanding a higher MSP and criticizing the government’s handling of the situation.
The crisis underscores the precarious nature of mango farming in the region and the need for greater government intervention to protect farmers from market volatility and ensure fair prices for their produce.