Mango mahotsav: Lucknow to host ‘aam fest’ in June

The Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh will host a mango festival in Lucknow in the last week of June.

This will be one of the biggest mango events being held in the state and Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Alok Ranjan said that the aim of the mango festival is to educate people about diverse kinds of mango production and different varieties.

The festival will also facilitate in marketing of mangoes and processed products in other states along with promoting horti-tourism.

Apart from various mango varieties from Uttar Pradesh, the state government will also invite mango growers from other states to display their varieties of the fruit.

The best mango exhibit will be rewarded with cash prizes in competing varieties, including commercial, hybrid, exotic, and processing varieties.

Progressive farmers will also be invited to the mango festival and the tourism department will prepare the hoardings, backdrop, decorative and logo for the event.

The Uttar Pradesh State Horticulture Cooperative Marketing Federation (HOFED) will make arrangements for making available attractively packed mangoes right from the mango orchards at its outlets and would work for the promotion of mangoes at major hotels.

HOFED will also organise mango feasts and mango recipe competitions.

Mr Ranjan said that different varieties of mango, products processed from mangoes and equipment used in mango growing will be exhibited.

The state government is also planning lectures of scientists on new techniques of mango production.

The chief secretary said that various varieties of mangoes conserved by department of horticulture and food processing and by Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture will also be showcased in the festival.

He pointed out that the objective of the mango festival will be to make people aware about the latest developments and new technology in mango production.

Mango growers will be able to sell as well as display their mangoes. A buyer-seller meet will also be organised, providing growers, sellers and exporters a unique platform for business and networking.