Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has decided to form a task force to increase the mango yield and avoid losses due to pests. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who headed a meeting in this regard on Tuesday also directed officials to begin the transfer of relief amount worth ₹8.5 crore to the bank accounts of mango farmers in Konkan.
Massive drop in mango yield this year
The Konkan Agriculture University at Dapoli, in its latest report, stated that the yield of mango this year was hardly 15% compared to last year. Also, there have been reports that the yield of mangoes in Maharashtra has been dropping for over past 15 years or more. While discussing the reports, CM suggested that a meeting of agriculture experts and major horticulturists be called, and a task force to increase the yield of Mangoes be formed under the leadership of the agriculture minister to find a solution to the issue.
In the first three months of 2015, mango farmers in Konkan suffered huge losses, and a relief amount of ₹3.35 crore towards waiver of interest and ₹5.26 crore towards restructuring of loans was announced for 12,513 farmers. However, the benefits had never reached them. At the meeting organized by Industries Minister Uday Samant, Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde and Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar, CM Shinde directed the finance department to immediately release the said amount.
Need for more investment in research
“We need to engage and invest more in research. We need to get information on research done in other countries on similar issues,” CM Shinde said.
He also directed the officials to start a mango board on the lines of the board for casue nut and also added that instead of the current ₹200 crore, the casue nut board will be given ₹1500 crore over the next five years.
Casue in Konkan is better in quality, and hence the casue processing plants need to be promoted in Konkan, CM Shinde said. He also assured that the formation of the Konkan Development Authority is in the last stage.
