Mango growers stage protests across Kolar district, demand MSP

Kolar: Mango growers and leaders of various farmers’ organisations staged protests across different parts of Kolar district on Monday, June 22, demanding that the state government immediately announce a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for mangoes and come to the aid of distressed farmers.

The agitation was led by the District Mango Growers Welfare Association, which has also called for a district-wide bandh over the issue. The bandh received a strong response in Srinivaspur, one of Karnataka’s major mango-growing regions, while demonstrations were held in Kolar city and other taluk headquarters.

As part of the protest, farmers dumped mangoes on roads and blocked vehicular movement to express their anger over the sharp fall in market prices. Growers alleged that they were being forced to sell their produce at throwaway prices despite investing heavily in cultivation.

Association president Neelatur Chinnappa Reddy urged the government to announce a support price of Rs 10,000 per tonne for mangoes. He said growers were facing severe financial losses due to poor market rates and rising cultivation costs.

Farmers pointed out that the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh government has already announced a support price of Rs 4 per kilogram for Totapuri mangoes and demanded that Karnataka take similar measures to protect growers’ interests.

The protesters warned that if the government failed to respond positively, the agitation could be intensified in the coming days.

Responding to the demand, Kolar MP M. Mallesh Babu said efforts were underway to secure support for mango farmers. He stated that both he and Union Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy had already written to the Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister seeking intervention in the matter.

“We are hopeful that a support price announcement will be made soon. The concerns of mango growers have been conveyed to the Centre,” the MP said.

Kolar district is one of Karnataka’s leading mango-producing regions, and growers say timely intervention is necessary to prevent heavy losses during the ongoing harvest season.