Dist administration takes corrective measures

Mahbubnagar: With the yield of mango crop decreasing year on year, the District Administration of Mahbubnagar has decided to take corrective measures to improve the mango crop yield in the district and has directed the department officials concerned to conduct a detailed survey and prepare a draft plant for rejuvenation of the Mango crop in the district.

During a review meeting with the Horticulture, Rural Development and Agriculture Department officials, the District Collector Ronald Rose has embarked on preparing a draft estimate of mango production and has sought a detailed report from the officers concerned on the various problems and issues faced by the mango growers in the district.

The main objective of this initiative by the District Administration is to protect the mango growers in the district who are facing a rough weather during the past few years. “Earlier a few years ago Mahbubnagar district was one of the top mango growers in the State.

However due to changing weather conditions and lack of proper knowledge among the mango growers, the mango farmers have been facing tough time as they are not able to get expected returns. It is a good move that at least now the District Administration has taken cognisance of the problems of mango growers in the district,” said Abdul Khadir, mango farmers from Nakkalabanda village of Jadcherla mandal.

Mango is grown extensively in Balanagar, Rajapur, Nawabpet, Damargidda, kosgi and Guded mandals in Mahbubnagar. Even though thousands of tonnes of mango are produced from Mahbubnagar, there is not a single mango processing unit in the district. Majority of the farmers do not have the knowledge or the technology to process and add value to their produce; rather they are still following the old method of selling the mangos in a raw manner.

“Lack of awareness and lack of proper harvesting skills majority mango farmers are losing quality of their produce and selling their mango as only raw mango without adding any value to their produce, because of which they are facing losses. But now onwards, we want to change this and want the mango farmers adopt new methods and new techniques to add value for their produce and get good returns.

For this we have directed the department officials concerned to conduct a detailed survey of mango growers and submit a draft plan report for improving the condition of mango farmers in the district,” said Ronald Rose. In view of this, the District Collector conducted a review meeting with the agriculture concerned and Horticulture officials and directed them to conduct a survey and submit a draft planning to the government for taking up necessary measures to improve the conditions of Mango growers in the district.

The District Collector has asked the officials concerned to prepare draft estimates for setting up of mango processing units in the district. If we have proper processing units we can help the farmers get good returns for their crop. Similarly we are also planning to provide better marketing facilities for the mango growers so that they can get best support price for their produce and get maximum benefits.

Anand Kumar, District Rural Development Organsiation (DRDO), Sarojini Devi, District Horticulture Officer, Nagavalli Mandal Parishad Development Officer (MPDO) and Rajitha of SERP took part in the review meeting.