Tirupati: Government urged to set up Mango Board, Research Centre

Tirupati: Several leaders who participated in the mango farmers meeting held here on Tuesday demanded the government to set up the state level Mango Board and also Mango Research Centre in Chittoor district.

The meeting was organised by Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham (APRS) Chittoor district unit on the occasion of International Mango Day at Agriculture Market Yard here. They also urged the government to enhance budget allocation for horticulture crop mango to promote natural farming and mechanisation to help farmers get more yield.

It also sought the government to take stringent measures to check the traders and industries exploiting mango farmers.

Addressing the gathering, APRS state general secretary KVV Prasad said that this year the government reduced the budget allocation for horticulture crops including mango, though large number of farmers depend on it. He pointed that despite Andhra Pradesh having a large area under mango cultivation, the state has only 10 percent of the national mango production while UP is far better with 17 percent of total mango production in the country.

Horticulture Deputy Director Sreenivasulu said that the rate for mango was quite encouraging this year but the yield in the district drastically fell down and the production came down to 3 lakh tonnes against normal production of 6 lakh tonnes.

APRS Chittoor district president T Janardhan demanded the government to set up mango related cottage industries to help the farmers in the district to get more revenue.

APRS district secretary PL Narasimhulu and others also spoke.