Tirupati: In a bid to strengthen the mango value chain in Andhra Pradesh, the CII – Food and Agriculture Center of Excellence (FACE) held a stakeholder consultation in Tirupati on Friday. The session, titled ‘Strengthening the FPO – AgTech Interface in Mango Value Chains’, aimed at fostering innovation and collaboration among key stakeholders to support sustainable mango farming.

The event brought together Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs), agri-technology experts, government representatives and financial bodies, including the Department of Horticulture and NABARD. Discussions focused on leveraging modern agri-technologies to address challenges mango farmers face, particularly in climate resilience and post-harvest management.

Additional Director of Horticulture Dr CB Harinatha Reddy inaugurated the event. He was joined by CII Tirupati Zone Chairman Puushpit Garg, immediate Past President of CII, AP Dr M Lakshmi Prasad, NABARD AGMs C Sunil and Vijaya Vihara Bhimavarapu. Insights from a recent scoping survey by CII-FACE highlighted existing challenges in the mango value chain and proposed strategies for improvement.

Throughout the day, participants engaged in discussions on sensor-based farming, weather-based advisories, and strategies to reduce post-harvest losses such as improved cold storage solutions. A notable session focused on value addition and processing of mangoes, emphasizing the importance of producing export-quality products.

Andhra Pradesh is among India’s leading mango producers and the consultation marks a significant step toward creating a resilient mango value chain. This initiative forms part of CII’s FPO Business Support Unit program, aimed at strengthening agribusiness ecosystems through technology-driven, sustainable practices that can enhance farmer incomes across the region.