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National Mango Festival kicks off today in Mirpurkhas

National Mango Festival kicks off today in Mirpurkhas

The three-day festival is being held for the 53rd time!
08 Jun, 2018

All is set to hold three-day 53rd national mango and summer fruits festival starting today (Friday) at Sindh Horticulture Research Institute. It will continue till June 10.

According to the management committee of the festival, minister for agriculture would inaugurate the festival at 5.00pm after owners of mango orchards would get themselves registered with the committee.

On the second day, judging of mango varieties on the basis of quality would be held at 9.00am and seminar on mangoes would be organised at 10.00am at State Life building where experts would read papers on latest developments in techniques for improvement in mango crop. Mirpurkhas Commissioner Shafique Ahmed Mahesar would be chief guest at the seminar.

On the third day on June 10, interim chief minister would distribute prizes among winners and runners-up at the concluding ceremony at 4.00pm.

The festival will showcase several varieties of the fruit including Sindhri, Dasehri, Chonsa, Langra, Anwer Rattol, Neelum, Tota Pari, Gulab Khasa, Collector, Dilpasand, Began Phali, Desi, etc.

The management committee chairman, Mohammad Umer Bughio, said that acute shortage of water had seriously affected taste, colour and size of the fruit and drastically cut the production, causing a drop of 30 per cent this year as compared to last year’s.

He said the committee had made concerted efforts to make the festival a national level event where agriculturists would judge different varieties of mangoes and winning mango farms would be given cash prizes and shields.

He said that they had tried their best to convince as many growers to display their produce in the festival as possible and hoped that number of stalls in the festival would further increase. The awards would be given only on the basis of merit, he said.

He said that mango exporters as well as general public had been invited to visit the festival which also featured different sports competitions and Meena bazaar for the recreation of women and children

He said that a souvenir would also be distributed among participants on the concluding day at the prize distribution ceremony.

The objective of the festival was to encourage mango producers and educate them in the use of modern technology for making their crop exportable and maximizing their profits by earning precious foreign exchange for themselves and the country.

Originally published in Dawn, June 8th, 2018

Comments

Zak Jun 08, 2018 11:09am
Get these mangos out to the international market, where they are immensely popular and have a brand name. The marketing is poorly handled. Last year, Pakistan did not send out any mangos to the world.
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Surya Kant Jun 08, 2018 12:19pm
Do we have Chausa. I love it. Its fragrance, its bitterness in the beginning.
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SATT Jun 08, 2018 12:40pm
Mangoes fruits from heaven.
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Amer Rao Toronto Jun 08, 2018 12:40pm
Every one loves Pakistani Mangoes because of its unique taste. In Canada we import Pakistani mangoes. Its really a big market
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ABE Jun 08, 2018 12:54pm
Mouth watering and most deliciois Mangos in the World! Those who have not tasted the Pakistani Mangos, have not lived.
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Mahmood Jun 08, 2018 01:17pm
Man goes to all corners of the world to experience new cultures, cuisines and customs. But until you've tasted the Mangos from Pakistan, you have no idea what you have been missing until now. THough you don't need to visit Paksitan for that, These special treats are available in many super markets and Asian, Middle Eastern Grocery stores around the world - only for few short weeks due to seasonal nature of the product! Go Man Go!
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Tariq, Lahore Jun 09, 2018 12:19am
Pakistani Mangos are the King of fruit! The Pakistani mango exporters need to get their act together and to meet the export quality in terms of packaging to ensure optimum quality of the fruit to reach the point of delivery in European markets!
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Zack Khan Jun 09, 2018 12:25am
In Chicago I have paid $26 for 2 kg.
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Tariq Shah Jun 10, 2018 06:10am
Mangos coming into the US from Pakistan are over priced and under performing, nowadays we can get Mexican Mangos for under .50 cents a piece and some are sweeter than Pakistani variety.
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Tariq Shah Jun 10, 2018 06:12am
@Zak Not really, here in the US they are overpriced and chemically treated to ripen early and not fun to eat at all, they sell these at $25 a box for 5 or 6, when we can get Mexican ones for under .50 cents a piece and as sweet or better than any Pakistani Mango, also btw the sweetest mangoes in the world are from Philippines, at least that's what i hear. Pakistani mangos have to be under .50 cents each to make a dent in the established market here.
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A Jun 14, 2018 01:20pm
We pay premium price for Pakistani mangoes in the UK. And there is no doubt that there is no comparison of these to any other. Only peoper marketing can do wonders for this jem.
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