16,000 metric tonnes of mangoes get exported from Andhra Pradesh through 30 Kisan trains

Andhra Pradesh Special Chief Secretary (agriculture) Poonam Malakondaiah on Saturday said that 16,000 metric tonnes of mangoes were exported from Andhra Pradesh through 30 Kisan trains during the present mango season.

She said that a remunerative price for every crop is being provided. "Further, godowns and cold storage units are being built," she added.

Poonam Malakondaiah said that the Rytu Bharosa Kendras constituted for helping farmers are yielding good results so that farmers are getting remunerative prices for their produces. "This year 14 lakh metric tonnes of mango produce were yielded in the present mango season. The government has provided a marketing facility for 70% of the yield. Each kilogram of mangoes is sold at a rate of Rs 9 to Rs 14. Further, 16,000 metric tonnes of mango are exported to different parts of the country through 30 Kisan trains with the help of the railway ministry. In the Chittoor district, 30 per cent of mango crop will be yielded by the end of July," she said.

Poonam Malakondaiah has denied the allegations that subsidy for mango farmers is withdrawn this year. She said that there has never been any such subsidy in the state. "The previous government had given intervention for one year, but that was given not to the farmers but to the processing units. This year, the best marketing is provided to farmers so no question of subsidy arises," she said.

When asked about the demands of a special mango board, she said there is no need for any such board, as the government is directly assisting farmers through a market intervention fund. Drawing comparison with the previous government, she stated that 11,22,912 MT of crops excluding paddy have been procured during 2014-2019 at a cost of Rs 3921 crore. However, the current government had procured 19,30,199 MT crops in the last two years at a cost of Rs 6348 crore.

Special CS Poonam Malakondaiah said that the State government is building godowns and cold storage units of 500 metric tonne capacity in each Rytu Bharosa Kendra. She said that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will lay the foundation for 2000 warehouses on July 8. "From the next Kharif season, every farmers' crop will be registered in e-crop and receipt will be issued", she explained.

Opposition TDP has recently alleged that mango farmers are not getting remunerative prices, subsidies for them are withdrawn and demanded constitution of mango board.

( With inputs from ANI )