WhatsApp Channel Join Now
Telegram Group Join Now
Relevance: GS-III Agricultural Marketing, Food Processing & Farmer Distress Source: Agriculture Ministry / ICAR order, July 2026

1 · What exactly happened?

The Union Agriculture Ministry has formed an expert committee (led by ICAR) to investigate the sudden, massive price crash of Totapuri mangoes in Andhra Pradesh. This happened after Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met with desperate farmers during his visit.
Farmers were getting only ₹4–6 per kg for their mangoes, while it costs them about ₹12/kg just to grow them! The committee has 10 days to figure out what went wrong in the entire chain—from farming to juicing factories—and suggest permanent solutions.

2 · Why is the Totapuri mango different?

It is a “Juice” Mango: You usually don’t buy Totapuri to slice and eat at home like an Alphonso. It is mainly used by the food industry to make fruit juices, pulps, and concentrates (think of your favorite boxed mango drinks). Because of this, its price depends heavily on factories and export demand. When exports stop, the price crashes completely.
The Response
Finding the root cause
Experts from ICAR will visit the main farming areas (like Chittoor), talk to farmers, juice factory owners, and exporters, and write a report on how to fix this mess.
Why prices crashed
Too many mangoes, no buyers
Farmers grew a lot of mangoes, but conflicts in the Middle East stopped exports. With nowhere to sell, prices fell to a third of what it cost to grow them.
The Immediate Help
Government steps in
The government triggered a scheme to pay farmers the difference between market prices and fair prices. However, many factories are still reportedly paying only ₹6/kg.
The Long-term Fix
Process it locally
The solution is to build more local processing plants so farmers don’t rely completely on foreign exports. Schemes like Kisan Sampada and using local farmer groups (FPOs) can help.
  • The Hub: The Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh is the heartland of Totapuri mangoes. Overall, AP is a massive producer, growing around 52.65 lakh tonnes of mangoes yearly.
  • What is MIS? The Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) is like a safety net for fruits and vegetables (perishable goods) that don’t get a fixed Minimum Support Price (MSP) like wheat or rice. If prices crash, the government pays the farmer the difference.
  • The Core Problem: Relying too much on selling pulp to just one region (the Middle East). If a war or crisis happens there, our farmers go bankrupt.
  • Who promotes these exports? The APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority), which works under the Ministry of Commerce.
UPSC Prelims Quick Facts
Totapuri A long, processing-grade mango variety heavily used by the juice industry.
ICAR Indian Council of Agricultural Research. The top body coordinating agricultural research in India.
APEDA The agency responsible for boosting India’s agricultural exports (under the Ministry of Commerce).
MIS Market Intervention Scheme. A safety net for crops that don’t have MSP.
PM Kisan SAMPADA A government scheme specifically aimed at improving food processing factories and reducing food waste.
FPO Farmer Producer Organisation. A group formed by farmers to sell their produce together and get better prices.
MCQ Practice Question
Q. With reference to the Totapuri mango issue and related policy, consider the following statements:

  1. Totapuri is a processing-grade mango variety used mainly for pulp, juice and concentrates.
  2. The Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) is meant for agricultural and horticultural commodities generally not covered under the Minimum Support Price.
  3. APEDA, the apex body for export promotion of scheduled products including mango pulp, functions under the Ministry of Agriculture.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only    (b) 2 and 3 only    (c) 1 and 3 only    (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

  • Statement 1 — Correct: Totapuri is famously known as the backbone of India’s mango juice industry.
  • Statement 2 — Correct: MIS acts as a shock absorber for perishable crops when prices crash, since they don’t get regular MSP.
  • Statement 3 — Incorrect: Beware the trap! APEDA handles exports, so it functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, not the Ministry of Agriculture.
Ajmal IAS APSC Foundation Course

Recent Posts

Ajmal IAS APSC Foundation BATCH
Ajmal IAS APSC Foundation Course

Start Yours at Ajmal IAS – with Mentorship StrategyDisciplineClarityResults that Drives Success

Your dream deserves this moment — begin it here.