Agri-Tech Boosts Mango Farming in Andhra Pradesh

Tirupati: The CII-Food and Agriculture Center of Excellence (FACE) organised a stakeholder consultation session on “Strengthening the FPO-AAgTech Interface in Mango Value Chains” in Tirupati on Friday to explore ways to enhance mango farming in Andhra Pradesh.

The event held at a local venue focused on leveraging agricultural technologies to address key challenges in mango cultivation and improve the sustainability of the mango value chain in the state.

The event brought together representatives from Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), agri-tech experts, and officials from institutions like the horticulture department and NABARD. Dr C. B. Harinath Reddy, Additional Director of the Horticulture Department of Andhra Pradesh, delivered a keynote address. Pushpit Garg, Chairman of CII Tirupati Zone; Dr M. Lakshmi Prasad, Immediate Past Chairman of CII Andhra Pradesh; C. Sunil, AGM of NABARD; and Vijay Vihara Bheemavarapu, AGM of NABARD, spoke on the occasion.

In the session, insights from a scoping survey conducted by CII-FACE on mango value chains were presented, offering perspectives on current practices and areas for improvement. Throughout the day, participants discussed strategies to reduce post-harvest losses, such as sensor-based farming, climate-based advisories, and improved cold storage solutions.

As Andhra Pradesh remains one of the leading states in mango production in India, the consultations fostered collaboration between FPOs and start-ups. The event was recognised as a crucial step toward promoting sustainable farming practices, reducing post-harvest losses, improving crop quality, and enhancing income for mango farmers across the region.