<p>Kolar: In a dramatic protest over plummeting mango prices, mango growers and activists dumped their produce on the national highway near Kondarajanahalli on Tuesday, accusing the state government of ignoring their plight.</p><p>The protest was led by the District Mango Growers’ Welfare Association, Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha, and CPM. Farmers arrived in tractors loaded with mangoes and poured them onto the highway, blocking traffic and raising slogans against the government and elected representatives. </p><p>The roadblock caused traffic jams for nearly half an hour, affecting vehicles heading towards Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and other destinations.</p><p>When the farmers attempted to dump the mangoes, the rural police tried to stop them, leading to a heated exchange. The farmers accused the police of being insensitive to their suffering, and went ahead with the protest.</p><p><strong>‘Indifferent attitude’</strong></p><p>N Chinnappa Reddy, president of the Mango Growers’ Association, said, “Mango prices have crashed, and growers are facing heavy losses. Lakhs of farmers in Srinivaspur, Mulabagilu, and Kolar depend on mango cultivation. The demand for the Totapuri variety has collapsed like never before. Despite 20 days of protests, the government has remained indifferent.”</p><p>He further added that diseases are affecting mango crops, making maintenance costly. “Even after spending lakhs, we’re left with no returns. No one is listening to our cries,” he said.</p><p><strong>Intensfying protest</strong></p><p>Farmers warned of intensified protests, including a march to Vidhana Soudha and a district-wide bandh in Kolar and Chikkaballapur if the government does not intervene immediately. “We demand a minimum support price of Rs 15,000 per tonne. If the government fails, it will be responsible for any future farmer suicides,” Chinnappa Reddy warned.</p><p>P R Suryanarayana of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha, said, “In 60 years, mango prices have never fallen this low. With no industries here, we are forced to depend on buyers from Andhra and Tamil Nadu, who are now rejecting our produce. On the other hand, local industries are importing mangoes from outside the state.”</p><p>He noted that a trader has already died by suicide, and warned that farmer suicides could follow. “The government has completely failed us. Fix the rate at Rs 15,000 per tonne or give Rs 50,000 per acre in compensation,” he demanded.</p><p>Activists and farmers, including Pathakote Naveen Kumar, V Geetha, T M Venkatesh, Shankar Reddy, and others participated in the protest.</p>
<p>Kolar: In a dramatic protest over plummeting mango prices, mango growers and activists dumped their produce on the national highway near Kondarajanahalli on Tuesday, accusing the state government of ignoring their plight.</p><p>The protest was led by the District Mango Growers’ Welfare Association, Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha, and CPM. Farmers arrived in tractors loaded with mangoes and poured them onto the highway, blocking traffic and raising slogans against the government and elected representatives. </p><p>The roadblock caused traffic jams for nearly half an hour, affecting vehicles heading towards Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and other destinations.</p><p>When the farmers attempted to dump the mangoes, the rural police tried to stop them, leading to a heated exchange. The farmers accused the police of being insensitive to their suffering, and went ahead with the protest.</p><p><strong>‘Indifferent attitude’</strong></p><p>N Chinnappa Reddy, president of the Mango Growers’ Association, said, “Mango prices have crashed, and growers are facing heavy losses. Lakhs of farmers in Srinivaspur, Mulabagilu, and Kolar depend on mango cultivation. The demand for the Totapuri variety has collapsed like never before. Despite 20 days of protests, the government has remained indifferent.”</p><p>He further added that diseases are affecting mango crops, making maintenance costly. “Even after spending lakhs, we’re left with no returns. No one is listening to our cries,” he said.</p><p><strong>Intensfying protest</strong></p><p>Farmers warned of intensified protests, including a march to Vidhana Soudha and a district-wide bandh in Kolar and Chikkaballapur if the government does not intervene immediately. “We demand a minimum support price of Rs 15,000 per tonne. If the government fails, it will be responsible for any future farmer suicides,” Chinnappa Reddy warned.</p><p>P R Suryanarayana of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha, said, “In 60 years, mango prices have never fallen this low. With no industries here, we are forced to depend on buyers from Andhra and Tamil Nadu, who are now rejecting our produce. On the other hand, local industries are importing mangoes from outside the state.”</p><p>He noted that a trader has already died by suicide, and warned that farmer suicides could follow. “The government has completely failed us. Fix the rate at Rs 15,000 per tonne or give Rs 50,000 per acre in compensation,” he demanded.</p><p>Activists and farmers, including Pathakote Naveen Kumar, V Geetha, T M Venkatesh, Shankar Reddy, and others participated in the protest.</p>
