Tirupati: The lives of mango farmers across the erstwhile Chittoor district are hanging by a thread as they grapple with plummeting prices, lack of willing buyers and mounting financial losses. The situation has escalated into a full-blown crisis, with farmers alleging that pulp factories have formed a syndicate to manipulate procurement prices and exploit the growers.

Amid growing discontent, Chittoor District Collector Sumit Kumar stepped in and convened a crucial meeting with leaders of farmers’ associations and representatives of mango pulp industries in Chittoor.

Tirupati District Collector participated in the meeting virtually. Chittoor and Puthalapattu MLAs G Jagan Mohan and K Murali Mohan were also present.

Following detailed deliberations over the challenges faced by mango growers and the pulp industry, Collector Sumit Kumar announced that a procurement price of Rs 12,000 per tonne has been fixed for the Totapuri variety mango.

He said that the decision was taken to protect the interests of both farmers and industry stakeholders. He also urged pulp factory managements to purchase mangoes directly from farmers and to consider their welfare.

Despite the mango season reaching its midpoint, pulp industries are reportedly unwilling to procure the fruit at fair prices, citing low demand and excess pulp stock. They were citing a slump in global demand as a key reason for their reluctance.

An estimated 2.74 lakh tonnes of pulp remains unexported due to geopolitical issues including wars and economic slowdown, they claimed. Of this, around 1.5 lakh tonnes was still in stock, making procurement difficult despite partial clearance.

This has led to overflowing mandis and many farmers being forced to leave their mangoes unharvested in the orchards. The result has been disastrous, not just for cultivators but also for small traders and seasonal workers who depend on the mango economy.

“This year has been nothing short of catastrophic. We cannot even recover our basic investment,” said a distressed farmer from Karvetinagaram mandal, where a recent protest saw farmers holding placards and chanting slogans, accusing pulp factories of ‘organised exploitation.’

The Tuesday meeting was seen as a decisive step in resolving the impasse. “We have set the Totapuri mango price at Rs 12 per kg to ensure a fair deal for both farmers and factory owners,” said Collector Sumit Kumar.

MLAs Jagan Mohan and Murali Mohan assured that the government would provide full support to ensure smooth functioning of the mango industry. They urged industry representatives to avoid causing difficulties to farmers, while also appealing to farmers to cooperate with the pulp industry in the larger interest of the region’s economy.

Now, all eyes are on the pulp factories – to see whether they will respond positively to the government’s intervention or continue citing low demand to avoid procurement.