Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday, 2 July 2026, handed a formal sanction letter to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), approving the procurement of 2,16,250 metric tonnes of Totapuri mangoes to protect farmers from distress sales during a market glut.

Context

Chouhan announced the development on X, writing in Hindi: 'माननीय मुख्यमंत्री श्री @ncbn जी के नेतृत्व में आंध्र प्रदेश हॉर्टिकल्चर का हब बन रहा है' ('Under the leadership of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Andhra Pradesh is becoming a horticulture hub'). He added that the Central government would walk 'step by step, shoulder to shoulder' with the state to make farmers prosperous and raise their incomes. The sanction letter was handed directly to Chief Minister Naidu, signalling a high-level political commitment to the initiative.

The Totapuri mango variety, widely cultivated in Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring states, is a key commercial crop used extensively in processing and pulp exports. Seasonal price crashes when supply peaks can severely erode farmer earnings, making timely government intervention critical.

Policy Backdrop

The Market Intervention Scheme is a Central scheme administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It is invoked when perishable horticultural commodities face a glut and prices fall sharply below production costs, enabling state governments to procure the produce at a pre-determined intervention price and prevent distress sales.

The scheme has its roots in the broader horticulture support architecture that took shape after the National Horticulture Mission was launched in 2005, which aimed at boosting production, post-harvest management, and market linkages for fruits and vegetables. MIS activations are typically initiated by a state government request, which the Centre then evaluates and approves. The approval for 2,16,250 metric tonnes of Totapuri mangoes represents one of the larger single-commodity MIS sanctions in recent years.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries are mango farmers in Andhra Pradesh, particularly those cultivating Totapuri across districts in the state's horticulture belt. By guaranteeing procurement at a supported price, the scheme insulates growers from the volatility of open-market arrivals during peak harvest season.

The approval also carries political weight for the TDP-BJP alliance at the national level. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party is a key partner in the ruling National Democratic Alliance, and Central support for state agricultural initiatives reinforces that partnership. Horticulture processors, cold-chain operators, and exporters in the state may also benefit from a more orderly market once procurement begins.

What's Next

The state government will now be responsible for rolling out the actual procurement operations under the MIS framework, coordinating with agencies to purchase Totapuri mangoes from farmers at the approved intervention price. The speed and reach of that rollout will determine how effectively farmer realisations are protected this season.

Chouhan's visit and the sanction also open the door for further Central announcements on horticulture infrastructure — cold storage, value-chain projects, and processing units — that could deepen Andhra Pradesh's ambition to become a national horticulture hub. The broader policy arc points to an increased Central focus on income support for farmers in non-cereal crops, an area that has historically received less attention than rice and wheat procurement.