Tirupati Steps up Monitoring of Mango Procurement with Arrivals Peaking

District collector Dr. S. Venkateswar, along with Srikalahasti RDO Bhanu Prakash Reddy, reviewed the procurement operations at the Varsha Processing Unit in Renigunta mandal on Wednesday. They checked out the procurement procedures, implementation of the minimum price, and facilities being provided to farmers.

The collector said the government is continuously monitoring the situation to ensure that farmers receive a fair price for their produce. He stated that the state government has directed all processing units to ensure that Totapuri mangoes are not purchased for less than ₹6 per kg. He warned that strict action would be taken against any unit found violating the price guidelines.

Referring to the difficulties faced by farmers last year due to excess production, Dr. Venkateswar said the government has taken several measures to prevent a repeat of the situation. He pointed out that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had recently interacted with mango farmers during his Tirupati visit and assured them of the government’s support.

The collector said farmers should harvest only fully matured fruits and avoid cutting unripe mangoes, as premature harvesting could result in losses. He described the next 10 to 15 days as the most crucial period of the season.

To reduce congestion at procurement centres, the district administration has directed processing units to follow a token system. The Varsha Processing Unit has already implemented an advanced token distribution system for farmers from the Koduru region, helping reduce vehicle queues. As a result, vehicles are being cleared within six to 12 hours.

According to officials, the Varsha unit alone procured more than 25,000 tonnes of Totapuri mangoes during the last 10 days. Across the district, total procurement has reached nearly 80,000–90,000 tonnes so far, while production this season is expected to touch about 2.5 lakh tonnes.