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Indian Mangoes Collapse: Prices Below $0.05/kg, Farmers Heartbroken, Dumping Produce

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Indian mango farmers are facing a collapse in prices, with wholesale rates falling as low as $0.05 per kilogram due to various factors.
  • Factors contributing to the crisis include reduced exports from international conflicts, overlapping harvest seasons across states, and quality issues caused by rainfall.
  • Farmers are forced to abandon harvests or dump produce, calling for government intervention and minimum support prices to cover costs and avoid debt.

India's mango industry is in crisis, with farmers in states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu experiencing a dramatic price crash. Wholesale prices have plummeted to as low as $0.05 per kilogram (approximately 1.6 Indian Rupees), a level insufficient to cover the costs of harvesting, transportation, and production.

This year we won't even recover our investment costs, we might fall into a debt abyss because of this. The government should respond to the crisis faced by farmers.

— N NagireddyA farmer expressing the severe financial distress caused by the mango price crash.

This sharp decline is attributed to a confluence of factors. International conflicts have impacted mango exports, while overlapping harvest seasons in states such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh have flooded the market. Compounding these issues, unseasonal rainfall has raised concerns about fruit rot and pest infestations, further degrading quality.

We have temporarily suspended mango sales. Reduced rainfall has caused fruit to shrink, and quality deteriorates with time.

— Y Siddiq RajaSecretary of the Natham Mango Sellers Association, explaining the impact of weather on fruit quality and sales.

Facing mounting losses, many farmers are choosing to abandon their harvests altogether, with some tragically dumping entire truckloads of mangoes into landfills. N Nagireddy, a farmer from Karnataka, expressed heartbreak, stating, "This year we won't even recover our investment costs, we might fall into a debt abyss because of this. The government should respond to the crisis faced by farmers."

Mango prices have indeed fallen sharply. As with last year, we have submitted a proposal to the government to secure incentives and subsidies for farmers, hoping for good news soon.

— DevarajDirector of the Horticulture Department, acknowledging the price drop and efforts to secure government aid.

In Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu, similar challenges persist. Despite higher-than-usual yields, demand from other states has weakened significantly. Prices have fallen from $0.12-$0.23 per kilogram last season to $0.06-$0.12 per kilogram recently. Some farmers have resorted to dumping their produce, as the cost of harvesting and selling exceeds the meager returns.

The government should immediately announce a minimum procurement price for mango farmers, at least ensuring that farmers can recover their hard-earned investment.

— RameshA farmer emphasizing the need for immediate government intervention with a minimum purchase price.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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