Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India]: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday urged his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu to lift the ban on the entry of Totapuri mangoes from Karnataka into Andhra’s Chittoor district, expressing deep concern over the disruption caused to farmers and the interstate agricultural supply chain.
In a letter addressed to Naidu, Siddaramaiah highlighted the reported order issued by the Chittoor District Collector on June 7, 2025, which barred the entry of Totapuri mangoes from other states. The Karnataka CM termed this directive as “abrupt” and “unilateral,” stating that it severely affects thousands of mango farmers, especially those in Karnataka’s border regions who heavily depend on Chittoor’s mango pulp processing and export units.
“I understand that multidisciplinary enforcement teams comprising officials from the Revenue, Police, Forest, and Marketing Departments have been deployed at inter-state check posts adjoining Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to implement this directive,” Siddaramaiah wrote in the letter.
He further said, “This sudden move has disrupted the well-established supply chain, threatens substantial post-harvest losses, and directly impacts the livelihoods of thousands of farmers.”
Siddaramaiah also warned that such actions could trigger retaliatory measures, potentially affecting the inter-state trade of other perishable agricultural products like vegetables.
“Such decisions, taken without prior consultation or coordination, undermine the spirit of cooperative federalism. There is already discontent among stakeholders that could lead to avoidable tension and disruption of agricultural commodity movements across state borders,” he added.
Appealing for swift action, the Karnataka CM urged Naidu to intervene personally and revoke the order to prevent further distress among farmers and to restore the seamless movement of agricultural produce.
“I urge your kind intervention in this matter and request that necessary directions be issued to the authorities in Chittoor District for the immediate revocation of the said order,” the letter concluded.
The restriction comes at a crucial time when Karnataka’s mango harvest is at its peak, and the move could result in heavy losses for the state’s mango-growing community if not addressed promptly.