Totapuri Mango Ban Sparks Row: Siddaramaiah Urges Andhra CM Naidu to Lift Restrictions

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has formally requested Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to withdraw the recent ban on the entry of Totapuri mangoes from Karnataka into Chittoor district. In a strongly worded letter dated June 11, Siddaramaiah highlighted the hardships faced by farmers and the potential breakdown of inter-state agricultural cooperation due to the unilateral decision.

According to reports, the Chittoor District Collector had issued an order on June 7, 2025, prohibiting the entry of Totapuri mangoes from other states. Enforcement teams consisting of officials from the Revenue, Police, Forest, and Marketing Departments were deployed at inter-state check-posts bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to enforce the directive.

Siddaramaiah stated that the sudden and uncoordinated move has caused immense difficulty to mango growers in Karnataka, especially those in border areas who depend on the processing units in Chittoor for pulp extraction and large-scale marketing. "This restriction has disrupted the long-standing supply chain and may lead to severe post-harvest losses," he said in the letter. Thousands of livelihoods are at stake, he added.

The Karnataka CM also emphasized the importance of cooperative federalism and warned that such decisions, taken without inter-state consultation, could provoke unnecessary friction and retaliatory restrictions. "Stakeholders are already raising concerns, and this could escalate into disruptions in the free movement of other agricultural produce like vegetables," he cautioned.

Siddaramaiah urged Naidu to intervene and direct the Chittoor authorities to revoke the ban immediately. The move, he noted, would help avoid escalating tensions and preserve the economic well-being of farmers who rely heavily on cross-border trade.

As of now, there has been no official response from the Andhra Pradesh government.