Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has penned a letter to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, imploring him to overturn a ban on the entry of Karnataka’s ‘Totapuri’ mangoes into the Chittoor district. The ban, enacted by the Chittoor District Collector on June 7th, has sparked outrage and protests amongst Karnataka mango farmers.
Siddaramaiah, in his letter dated June 11th, emphasized that such unilateral decisions, implemented without prior consultation, undermine the principles of cooperative federalism.
He voiced concerns that the ban could escalate tensions, leading to retaliatory measures and disrupting the crucial interstate movement of agricultural commodities. This sentiment was echoed by Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, who also wrote to her Andhra Pradesh counterpart, K. Vijayanand, requesting the ban’s immediate revocation.
The ban has hit mango farmers in the Srinivasapura region of Kolar district, a major mango-growing area bordering Andhra Pradesh, particularly hard. These farmers, heavily reliant on Chittoor’s processing and pulp extraction units, staged protests and a “bandh” (strike) on Wednesday, demanding a support price for mangoes and an end to the imposed restrictions.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah elaborated on the detrimental impact in his letter, stating that the ban “has disrupted this well-established supply chain and threatens significant post-harvest losses, directly impacting the livelihoods of thousands of farmers.”
He further cautioned that the situation could escalate, potentially leading to disruptions in the interstate movement of other vegetables and agricultural goods.
In his appeal, Siddaramaiah urged Naidu to personally intervene and direct Chittoor authorities to immediately revoke the ban, emphasizing the need for swift action to protect farmer welfare and ensure the smooth flow of agricultural produce.
He concluded, “I trust that you will treat this issue with the seriousness it warrants, and take swift steps to restore the seamless movement of agricultural produce in the interest of farmer welfare.”
