MIRPURKHAS, June 2 (APP): The 43rd annual mango and summer fruits festival at Mirpurkhas from June 6 to 10 will present a large variety of mango and other seasonal fruits, both for the discerning consumers and the export and marketing entrepreneurs.

Besides mangoes the Festival will also feature bananas, apples, dates, olives, oranges, grape fruit, watermelons, melon and other fruits.

Registration for the Festival will be completed by June 5. This year a big centrally air-conditioned mango exhibition hall will welcome the participants. It has been completed at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore 40 lakhs.

A total 15 officially registered mango varieties will be placed in the stalls, divided in three categories viz early varieties, mid varieties and late varieties.

The early varieties include Zaffran, Sarooly, Dasari and Langra, the mid varieties include Sindhri, Gulab Khasa, Chonsa, Saleh Bahi, Anwar Ratol and Bombay Alfanso while in late varieties there will be Swornarki, Began Palli, Neelam and Desi Mangoes.

Some 185 other varieties of mango will also be on display at the stalls. About five hundred growers from across Sindh have been invited to participate in this Festival, officials of the Managing Committee told APP.

Last year 425 growers of mango and summer fruits from Sindh participated in the Festival where total 200 varieties of mango and other summer fruits were displayed, the Festival sources said.

DCO Mirpurkhas Dr. Abdul Raheem Soomro told APP that the Mango Festival is now marked as national event with the cooperation of Sindh Government, District Government and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Ex-EBP.

Ex- chairman of the festival managing committee Anwer Gundal, said in 2006 the name of Mango and Summer Fruit Exhibition was changed to Mango and Summer Fruit Festival and it was decided to henceforth celebrate it as a National Programme.

The first mango show was held at Mirpurkhas Government Comprehensive Middle School building in 1965 when around two dozen varieties of mangoes and other summer fruits were put on display. It was inaugurated by the then Governor West Pakistan Malik Amir Muhammad Khan. The Festival has continued annually since then.

According to Ex- chairman of the festival managing committee Anwer Gundal, mango orchard owners of Sindh including that of Junejo Mango Farm, Nawazabad, Kachelo, Rais Khair Muhammad Bhurgari, Seth Khup Chand, Seth Goband Raam and others have been winning one of the top three positions in the past in terms of quality and quantity of mangoes and other fruits.

On the concluding day of the Festival a ceremony for distribution of prizes, certificates and shields will be held to acknowledge the holders of 1st, 2nd and 3rd position among the owners of mango and other summer fruit orchards. Prizes will be given in three categories A, B and C.

In A- category would be the owner of mango orchards of more than 150 acres. In category- B would be the owner mango orchards of 150 acres and in category-C would be the owners of mango orchards of 50 acres.

Prizes and shields will be given to the winners after a decision byselectors (judges) of the festival committee.

Growers of Districts Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Sanghar, Tando Allahyar, Hyderabad, Nausheroferoz, Nawabshah and other districts of Sindh province are expected to participate in the Festival.

Owner of famous mango orchard Kachelo Farm, Naved Kachelo, owner of Gabol Fruit Farm, Ishaque Gabol and others abadgars told APP that owing to acute shortage of water and dust storms mango production this year is likely to experience a 30 percent decline then last year. They said despite water and climatic disturbance the Sindhri Mango could not lose its taste and quality.

They said Sindhri mango is a good product for export and is in demand in more than 57 countries including UAE, Canada, Austria, India, Saudi Arabia, Australia, China, Britain, Afghanistan, Iran, Brunei, Algeria, Bangladesh and others.

Added attraction at the Mango Festival will be a Meena Bazar for women and other entertainment stalls for the children.

On first day of Mango Festival, a big fire- works display (Atish Baazi), Sindhi traditional wrestling “ Mallh” and poetry competition programme will be arranged at Municipal Complex Mirpurkhas by the District Government.

A detailed briefing on mangoes’ improvement and their protection will also be organised by Sindh Horticulture and Research Institute Mirpurkhas, coinciding with the Festival.

APP

Thank God i live in Pakistan.At least i get to eat mangoes every year.

Annual mango festival starts today


MIRPURKHAS, June 5: The district administration is holding the three-day 43rd National Mango and Summer Fruits Festival, which starts today in the newly-constructed centrally air-conditioned exhibition hall.

Over 500 growers, fruit exporters, foreigners, elected representatives and agriculturists besides people from different walks of life are expected to participate in the annual festival, which has now become part of Mirpurkhas’ identity.

The administration has been holding it without break since 1965 to encourage farmers and increase the fruit’s production in the area, which produces the country’s best variety of mango namely Sindhri.

The country is the 6th biggest exporter of mango in the world. In 2001-02, Pakistan exported 5,344,4000 kilogramme of mango, earning $1,500,000 for national exchequer, in 2006-07, the fruit’s export stood at 61,632,000 kilogramme and the country earned $19,859,000.

The country produces over 200 varieties of mangoes of which Sindhri is on top as far as its taste, size and flavour are concerned and Mirpurkhas tops the list of areas producing this variety.

In 2000-01, mango orchards were spread over 45,000 hectares in the province and they produced 340.5 tons fruit, while in 2006-07, the mango orchards were spread over 50,700 hectares and they produced 353.4 tons.

The mango orchards in Mirpurkhas are spread over 12,140 hectares, which produce 67,318 metric ton fruit.

The district produces over a hundred varieties of the fruit, including Sindhri, Anwer Ratol, Began Pali, Zafran, Gulab Khasa, Langra, Saroli, Dasehri, Collector, Neelam, Tota Pari, Salah Bhai, Almas, Anool, Batli, Dadami, Dilpasand, Fajri, Fazli, Gadri, Gulqand, Gilas, Hathi Chole, Hyderabadi, Jagirdar, Kherol, Khushnuma, Lal Badshah, Lahoti, Malgra, Multani Baig, Nayab, Patasha, Rampuri, Seroli Black, Safeda, Shahenshah, Sher Shah, Sindh Sudhar, Samar and Yakta etc.

The management committee of the festival has planned different sports competitions and recreational activities during the event to attract masses. The 43rd annual festival, which runs from June 6 to 8, will be held for the first time in the newly-built centrally-air conditioned exhibition hall that has just completed with an estimated cost of Rs58.5 million.

Over 100 companies will put up their stalls in the festival, in which over 500 growers from Jamshoro, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Tando Allahyar and other districts and towns of the province are expected to participate besides a large number of exporters, elected representatives, officers, foreigners and agriculturists.

The inauguration of the newly-constructed exhibition hall and festival will be held simultaneously on June 6 and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah will be the chief guest of prize distribution ceremony to be held on June 8.

Oh Yaar , why do you mention mangoes :(

A cold juicy sweet Pakistani mango is just sooo unresistable. I love sucking on a mango. But in the UK they cost £5 for a box of about 6 medium sized box and still get sold out.

Here in the USA we have $ 7 for a box of about 9 medium sized box ( mainly Mexican or USA ).

I can't understand why Pakistani mangoes are the best in the world. I have tried mangoes from all over the world imported into the UK, but Pakistani mangoes are the sweetest, mouth watering and tastiet in the world. Sorry I am drooling now and just about to run off to the fruit shop.