Stalin writes to PM Modi, says mango farmers facing huge losses

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos intervention to address the grievances of mango farmers who are suffering due to a drastic fall in pricesHe sought the implementation of the Market Intervention Scheme MIS under PMAASHA Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan AbhiyanIn his letter to the Prime Minister the Chief Minister also urged a cut in GST for mango pulp to 5 per cent requested compliance with FSSAI guidelines and sought procurement by Union government agencies directly from farmers news agency PTI reportedHe also sent an identical letter on the same issue to Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh ChouhanThe Chief Minister requested the Centrersquos approval for implementing the intervention scheme and proposed Rs 2766 per tonne to farmers representing the difference between the MIS price and the market price He suggested a 5050 costsharing model between the Centre and the state as per PMAASHA norms with an estimated outlay of Rs 6293 croreStalin explained that the price of mangoes has fallen drastically in some cases even below Rs 5 per kilo due to an increase in mango yield and a reduction in procurement by mango pulp manufacturers Consequently farmers have been forced to let mangoes ripen or sell them at very low prices Farmers are unable to secure a fair price and traders from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh who typically buy from Tamil Nadu have refrained from procurement He cited factors such as most pulp manufacturing units being privately run and the abundant availability of pulp in southern states PTI reportedIn Tamil Nadu the mango yield stands at approximately 949 lakh tonnes from cultivation across 146 lakh hectares making the state a frontrunner in fruit production Underscoring the need for fair compensation to mango farmers under the current circumstances the Chief Minister urged the Union governmentrsquos intervention through the Market Intervention Scheme under PMAASHAThe Chief Minister specifically requested direct compensation for farmers under the intervention schemeAdditionally he urged that central procurement agencies be directed to commence purchases from farmers at a fair price ensuring that they recover at least their minimum cultivation expenditureCM Stalin also sought appropriate guidelines to ensure that FSSAI standards regarding mango pulp content are adhered to by mango juice manufacturing companies He reiterated that GST on mango pulp should be reduced to 5 per cent from the current 12 per centAn official release stated that Tamil Nadu Food Minister R Sakkarapani would meet Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Delhi on Wednesday regarding this matter MPs Tiruchi Siva Kanimozhi and legislators from mangogrowing areas are expected to accompany himAccording to the Centre the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan PMAASHA aims to ensure remunerative prices for farmers All agricultural or horticultural commodities for which a Minimum Support Price MSP is not fixed and which are perishable in nature are covered under the MIS component of the integrated PMAASHA schemeWith inputs from PTI