Agriculture Ministry Initiatives for Totapuri Mango Farmers
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, convened a high-level review meeting at Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi, to address the declining incomes and falling prices faced by Totapuri mango farmers in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. The meeting focused on comprehensive improvements to the cultivation, processing, and marketing system of Totapuri mangoes based on the report of a high-level expert committee constituted on July 2, 2026.
The expert committee, chaired by Dr. Damodaran T., Director of ICAR–CISH (Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow), included scientists from ICAR–CISH, ICAR–IIHR (Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru), experts from Dr. YSR Horticultural University, Andhra Pradesh, and officials from the State Horticulture Department. The committee conducted field visits from July 8 to 10 in Tirupati and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh, meeting farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), mandi representatives, pulp-making units, exporters, and district administration to review the entire Totapuri mango value chain.
The committee identified major reasons for price decline including lack of timely coordination in processing capacity and procurement arrangements, low quantity of real pulp in mango-based beverages in domestic markets, and fluctuations in global markets. The committee found that factories often cannot make timely purchases at season beginning, causing simultaneous arrival of produce in mandis and processing units leading to sudden price crashes and farmer losses.
Key recommendations include mandating 22-25% real natural mango pulp content in all mango-based beverages. The committee suggested that only beverages containing more than the prescribed pulp limit should remain in the 5% concessional GST category, with higher GST rates applied to low-pulp products to increase Totapuri mango pulp consumption and provide consumers more nutritious beverages.
The committee recommended establishing a Central Coordination and Price Stabilisation Committee as an apex institutional mechanism for major producing states (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka) to review crop estimates, processing and export demand, agricultural costs, and market conditions before each mango season. This committee would help determine indicative profitable farm-gate procurement prices for farmers and reference prices for mango pulp.
For orchard improvement, the committee noted that large areas in Chittoor, Tirupati, Annamayya, and Kadapa districts consist of old orchards with declined productivity and quality. They recommended rejuvenation through top-working technique, grafting scions of high-value varieties (Neelam, Alphonso, Himayat, Banganapalli) onto existing trees to obtain new, more valuable crops within two to three years. Implementation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) at cluster level with training, demonstration gardens, and technical assistance was also emphasized.
To improve fruit quality and access premium markets, the committee suggested providing fruit bags (fruit covers) in the initial phase for approximately 23,333 hectares across the four districts to improve external texture, reduce pest damage, and enable access to higher-priced mandis. Zonal procurement and initial processing arrangements were recommended through joint annual procurement planning by Horticulture Department, processing industry, and FPOs.
The committee specifically recommended that the Andhra Pradesh Government issue a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) making it mandatory for all registered processing units to begin procurement and pulp production from May 15 annually.
Farmer-led processing units and FPO-based value addition models were discussed, particularly technologies from ICAR–CISH and IIHR for making 'mango butter' and other value-added products from mango seed kernels to create additional income sources from Totapuri mango seeds and by-products.
APEDA representatives informed about efforts to expand domestic and international markets for Totapuri and other Indian mangoes, especially through sea routes to reduce costs and access new destinations. An integrated export and marketing strategy will be prepared for Totapuri-based processed products and fresh table mangoes with cooperation from APEDA, ICAR, and State Governments.
Union Minister Chouhan directed convening an inter-ministerial meeting among relevant Ministries including Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), GST Council, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Ministry of Agriculture, and Ministry of Health to reach consensus on necessary standards and tax structure. He emphasized making the entire Totapuri mango value chain farmer-centric through coordinated efforts of Central and State Governments, ICAR, APEDA, FPOs, and processing industry.