Centre approves procurement of copra, Totapuri mangoes from Tamil Nadu farmers

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday approved the procurement of copra and Totapuri mangoes from farmers in Tamil Nadu, a move aimed at shielding growers from distress sales amid falling market prices.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan cleared the proposals, which were based on requests from the Tamil Nadu government, an official statement said.

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Under the copra procurement plan for 2026, the Centre will buy 87,226 metric tonnes -- comprising 87,000 tonnes of milling copra and 226 tonnes of ball copra -- at the Minimum Support Price under the Price Support Scheme (PSS). The total MSP outlay for the procurement is estimated at over Rs 1,049.16 crore.

Separately, the Centre approved the procurement of 96,879 metric tonnes of Totapuri mangoes under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for 2026. The entire quantity will be procured in Tamil Nadu at a Market Intervention Price of Rs 1,545.41 per quintal.

The interventions are intended to ensure remunerative prices for both crops and to protect farmers from being forced to sell at a loss when market prices dip, the ministry said.

The PSS and MIS mechanisms allow the government to step in and procure produce directly from farmers when open-market prices fall below sustainable levels.

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The two decisions together amount to a combined support of more than Rs 1,000 crore for farmers in the state, the ministry added.