Will TN Farmers Protest on June 10 Over Mango Price Collapse?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Statewide protest by Tamil Nadu Farmers Association on June 10.
- Demands for Minimum Support Price for mangoes.
- Concerns over drastic drops in procurement prices.
- Call for government intervention to prevent financial distress.
- Importance of infrastructure support for future stability.
Chennai, June 4 (NationPress) The Tamil Nadu Farmers Association has declared a statewide protest for June 10, demanding urgent government action to tackle the significant drop in mango procurement prices, which has placed countless farmers in severe financial hardship.
The protest is set to occur simultaneously across all major mango-producing districts, such as Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tirupattur, Vellore, Salem, Namakkal, Dindigul, and Theni.
The farmers are calling on the state government to facilitate a tripartite meeting involving farmer representatives, traders, and government officials to establish a fair and consistent procurement price for mangoes.
“Mango cultivation is a vital agricultural practice in these areas. While recent years have seen diminished yields due to unpredictable weather, this year’s harvest has been promising. Regrettably, farmers are unable to benefit due to shockingly low market prices,” stated Sami Natarajan, General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association.
He accused traders, operating as a cartel, of drastically slashing procurement prices. “Currently, even ripe mangoes are being bought for less than Rs 4 per kilogram, which is significantly below the cultivation cost and is plunging small and marginal farmers into severe financial distress,” he claimed.
The Association has appealed to the government to quickly establish a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for mangoes to protect growers from market exploitation.
Additionally, the Association has requested compensation for farmers experiencing losses due to the price drop. Sami Natarajan also emphasized the necessity for long-term infrastructure support to secure the future of mango farmers.
“The government must establish pulp processing units, cold storage facilities, and marketing infrastructure to stabilize incomes and reduce post-harvest losses,” he urged.
He cautioned that if the government does not take decisive action, the ongoing crisis could drive many farmers away from mango cultivation, negatively impacting the rural economies of numerous districts.
With the mango season currently at its peak, farmers are racing against time to sell their produce before it spoils.
The protest on June 10 is anticipated to garner substantial participation and represents a significant escalation in farmers’ demands for a structured and equitable procurement mechanism in the horticulture sector.