Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has directed the constitution of a high-level expert committee under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to address the significant price decline of Totapuri mangoes affecting farmers in Andhra Pradesh. The decision follows the Minister's recent visit to the state where farmers reported that prices for this processing-oriented mango variety have declined substantially in recent months, adversely affecting their incomes and creating financial stress.
The expert committee will be chaired by Dr. T. Damodaran, Director of ICAR–Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH), Lucknow, with members including Dr. M. Shankaran (Head, Fruit Crops Division, ICAR–Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru), Dr. H.S. Singh (Principal Scientist, ICAR–CISH, Lucknow), Dr. D. Srinivasa Reddy (Professor, College of Horticulture, Anantharajupeta, Dr. YSR Horticultural University, Andhra Pradesh), and the Director of Horticulture, Government of Andhra Pradesh or their nominee.
The committee has been instructed to undertake field visits to major Totapuri mango-growing regions of Andhra Pradesh within the next ten days to interact with farmers, processing industry representatives, exporters, State Horticulture Department officials, Farmer Producer Organisations, and other stakeholders. The mandate includes examining the entire value chain from cultivation and processing to marketing, domestic trade, and exports, with specific focus on current cultivation status, production costs, farmers' incomes, processing capacity utilization, demand-supply dynamics, and factors responsible for price decline in domestic and export markets.
Based on field observations and stakeholder consultations, the committee will prepare a detailed assessment of factors contributing to price decline and recommend evidence-based policy interventions. The comprehensive report to the Union Minister will include recommendations for price stabilization, value addition promotion, processing and export capacity enhancement, strengthening coordination among Farmer Producer Organisations, processors and exporters, and policy interventions required for long-term sustainable development of the Totapuri mango sector. The recommendations will serve as the basis for coordinated action by Central and State Governments to safeguard farmer incomes and create opportunities for value addition, exports, investment, and employment.