Dindigul: Mango growers in Dindigul district are facing severe financial losses following a sharp decline in prices this season, prompting some farmers to discard their produce in garbage yards. A farmer from Natham dumped harvested mangoes at a waste yard on Wednesday, underscoring the distress among growers as market prices continue to plummet.
Premium varieties affected
Dindigul is renowned for premium mango varieties such as Alphonso, Banganapalli, and Imam Pasand, along with native varieties including Sendhuram and Malgova. Farmers report that this year has witnessed an unusually high yield, but demand from other states has remained weak. Exports have also slowed, which growers attribute to disruptions in international trade.
Price collapse
Consequently, prices have fallen sharply. While mangoes fetched Rs10 to Rs20 per kg last season, rates have dropped to Rs5 to Rs10 per kg in recent weeks. Farmers say the returns are insufficient even to cover transportation costs. Y Siddiq Raja, secretary of the Natham Mango Sellers Association, stated, We have stopped selling mangoes for now. Reduced rainfall has caused fruits to shrink and lose quality over time.
He added that lower-grade varieties are being procured for as little as Rs4 to Rs10 per kg, while better-quality varieties such as Banganapalli and Imam Pasand fetch higher prices depending on demand. Farmers have urged the Union and state governments to intervene and ensure remunerative prices to prevent further losses.
Wider crisis in Tamil Nadu
The crisis is not limited to Dindigul. Mango growers in Krishnagiri, one of Tamil Nadu's largest mango-producing districts, have also reported heavy losses due to poor prices, adverse weather, pest attacks, and rising cultivation costs. A meeting convened by the district administration in May failed to reach a consensus on procurement prices.
BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran, in a post on X, urged the state government to fix a fair price for mangoes, citing reports of farmers dumping produce in Dindigul, Krishnagiri, and Vellore districts.
