Chittoor MP Daggumalla Prasada Rao. |Picture source: Arrangement
On Sunday (March 23), a parliament from Chittoor Daggumalla Prasada Rao will urge the central government to take immediate measures to support mango farmers affected by natural disasters.
Members of Congress spoke to the media here, proposing to establish a dedicated mango committee to enhance the welfare of mango growers and promote exports.
Mr. Prasada Rao emphasized the dominance of Andhra Pradesh State in mango cultivation, with more than 370,000 hectares of land dedicated to crops. He stressed that areas like Krishna, Chittal and Godavari are key to mango production.
Members of Congress said the Totapuri variety mango from Chittor is an important source of mango pulp exports, especially Ukraine. However, exports were severely damaged due to the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict, resulting in financial troubles among farmers.
Mr. Prasada Rao expressed concern about the high import tariffs imposed by the EU on mango pulp, which is of higher quality than African countries. Members of MPs urged the coalition government to negotiate with European countries to reduce these high tariffs, as this would make Andhra Pradesh more competitive and productive for mango growers in Andhra Pradesh.
Regarding the union budget for 2025-26, MPs praised the key emphasis Modi-led NDA government on the agricultural sector, with a budget allocated 3.89%. He also praised the PM-Kisan plan, which has spent Rs 1,846 crore in 18 shares since 2019 to Rs 1.1 crore for farmers. He further declared that the increase in the limit of Kisang credit card loans from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 500 crore will make the agricultural sector a long capacity.
Members of Congress urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure minimum support prices for mango farmers and to take relief measures for those hit by adverse climate conditions.
publishing – March 23, 2025 04:34 pm ist
