A file image of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday (June 19, 2024) discussed the financial crisis faced by mango growers following crash in prices in the market and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy to hold talks with Union Minister for Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan to seek compensation to growers.
Mango prices plummeted from ₹12,000 per quintal to ₹3,000 per quintal, the government said.
Briefing the Cabinet decisions after the meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil said the Chief Minister asked Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy to go to Delhi if necessary to seek compensation from the Centre or procurement of the crop from farmers from the Central agencies such as NAFED and NCCF.
A few days ago, Mr. Siddaramaiah had appealed to the Centre to take urgent steps to help mango farmers of the State as fruit prices had dropped sharply this season.
In a letter to Mr. Chouhan, Mr Siddaramaiah, who will be in Delhi on Friday (June 20, 2025), requested the Centre to start a Price Deficiency Payment and Market Intervention Scheme and start immediate procurement though central agencies such as NAFED and NCCF to support farmers and stop further distress in rural areas.
Mango is one of Karnataka’s major horticultural crops, cultivated over an area of 1.39 lakh hectares, with an estimated production of 8-10 lakh tonnes during the Rabi season.
Published – June 19, 2025 06:20 pm IST