Kolar observes bandh over falling mango prices, growers demand support price

KOLAR: The Kolar bandh called by mango growers demanding support price for mangoes received good response on Monday. Except for minor incidents, the bandh was largely peaceful, and the government, yielding to the mango growers’ protest, has given assurance that a support price will be announced soon.

Protesters were seen dumping mangoes on the road and burning tyres in protest, and there was pushing and shoving between protesters and police. On the other hand, MP Mallesh Babu and District Collector M R Ravi informed the protesters about the government’s move to announce support price soon.

Due to mango prices crashing to rock bottom, mango growers had called for a bandh in Kolar district on Monday. The bandh received a response in Kolar and Srinivasapura, with Srinivasapura observing a complete shutdown from 6 am. Mango growers and leaders of various organisations took to the streets, blocked roads and expressed outrage by setting tyres on fire. They also dumped mangoes on main roads in Srinivasapura and Kolar, demanding support price.

Currently, one ton of mangoes is being sold for Rs 3,000-4,000 in the market, causing huge losses to mango growers. In neighboring Andhra Pradesh, support price of Rs 4,000 per ton has been announced, along with instructions to procure at around Rs 8 per kg at factories. Similarly, the mango growers demanded that Karnataka should also announce a minimum support price of Rs 8-10 per kg.

The bandh received a good response in both Kolar and Srinivasapura. While protesters blocked roads in Srinivasapura, mangoes were dumped on the road at Pallavi Circle in Kolar city as part of the protest. Meanwhile, Kolar MP Mallesh Babu, who visited the protest site, said the announcement of support price was delayed because the Agriculture Minister had gone to Bhopal, and added that a minimum support price of Rs 4.37 per kg for mangoes is likely to be announced soon.

District Collector M R Ravi also stated that a meeting was held on June 18 regarding this and a proposal was sent to the government, and the state government has also submitted a proposal to the Centre. Following assurances from the government and MP Mallesh Babu, the bandh was withdrawn by afternoon.

During the bandh, as vehicles were parked across the road on Chintamani Road, pushing and shoving occurred between protesters and police. A drunk man was seen lying on the heap of mangoes dumped on the road, harassing protesters. After the protest at Pallavi Circle in Kolar city, people rushed to fill bags with the mangoes that had been dumped on the road.

The bandh received good response, and the government has assured that support price will be announced at the earliest. Farmers have warned of intensified protests if the support price is not announced soon.