PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday alleged the Tamil Nadu government had betrayed mango farmers unlike Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka governments, which, he said, are protecting them. He urged the State Government to ensure pulp factory owners procure the mangoes immediately.

In a statement, he said the State Government must ensure mango pulp factories provide an incentive of ₹4000/tonne after Karnataka and Union government jointly decided to procure 2.5 lakh tonnes of mangoes from the farmers and provide an incentive of ₹4000/tonne.

“Accordingly, the Karnataka Mango Development and Marketing Corporation will handle the procurement, benefiting thousands of farmers. Farmers from Karnataka, located close to Tamil Nadu districts like Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, and Salem, have gained some relief and happiness from this arrangement, while mango farmers in Tamil Nadu are languishing in despair. With no buyers for their harvest, mangoes are being dumped into lakes to feed fish or thrown by the roadside,” he said.

Dr. Anbumani pointed out, “In Andhra Pradesh, it has been announced that mangoes will be procured at ₹12,000 per tonne—₹8,000 covered by pulp factories and the remaining ₹4,000 provided as a subsidy by the state government. ”