Kolar (Karnataka): Karnataka farmers dumped tonnes of mangoes on the roadside near Srinivasapura of Kolar district due to a steep fall in the prices of certain varieties of the fruit. The Banganapalli, Benishan and Totapuri varieties are been dumped as they are being attacked by a fungal disease, and hence the prices are falling sharply. The mango growers are now demanding compensation from the government.
Narrating the plight of the mango growers, Kolar district Mango Growers Association president, Neelaturu Chinnappa Reddy told ANI that compared to the past, the mango growers were particularly suffering a loss this year and were unable to bear the loss. He stated this to be the reason why the farmers were throwing their produce away.
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"There are no buyers for the Totapuri and Benishan varieties of mangoes. Each tonne of Benishan was sold as Rs 1 lakh in 2019, and between Rs 50,000 to Rs 80,000 last year. However, this year the price has come down to a meagre Rs 10,000-15,000. The farmers are struggling to even cover the transport cost," he added.
Further, he said, "There were no purchasers from buyers from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh for these varieties this year. We don't even have factories here at Kolar or at Chickaballapur that store and collect the pulp." The Totapuri variety is being grown in over 60,000 hectares in Srinivasapura, and with the prices of the variety falling, the farmers are concerned.
(ANI)
