A fruitful gathering puts 250+ mango varieties in the spotlight

More than 250 varieties of mangoes, including rare local and imported cultivars, are on display at the National Mango Festival at Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV), Raipur, with the Chhattisgarh government pitching the event as a platform to boost value addition, farmer incomes and agri-entrepreneurship.Governor Ramen Deka, inaugurating the festival on Friday, said India leads the world in mango production and has over 1,000 varieties. He urged Chhattisgarh’s growers to build a distinct identity through high-quality local varieties, pointing to Bastar, Kondagaon, Kanker and Surguja as high-potential mango belts. Deka said festivals and exhibitions help farmers exchange advanced practices, new varieties and innovations, and flagged opportunities for women self-help groups, entrepreneurship and “mango tourism” in the state.He called for stronger focus on value addition and asked IGKV and the Chhattisgarh Rajya Beej Evam Krishi Vikas Nigam to work together. He also stressed eco-friendly practices, water conservation and rainwater harvesting, and reiterated the appeal to plant a tree in the name of one’s mother.Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, who presided over the inauguration, described mango as the “king of fruits” and highlighted its cultural use in rituals through leaves and wood. He said the exhibition ranges from berry-sized mangoes to large-fruited varieties such as Hathijhul from Bijapur, and linked mango cultivation to the state’s goal of doubling farmers’ income in line with the Prime Minister’s vision.IGKV Vice-Chancellor Dr Girish Chandel said the university, with state support, has been organizing the festival at scale for the past three years, drawing thousands of visitors. He said farmers sold mango saplings and fruits worth about Rs 4 lakh during last year’s event and expressed confidence of higher participation and sales this year.The festival runs from May 29 to 31, and includes competitions across commercial, hybrid, special and exotic categories. Commercial entries include Dashahri, Langda, Bombay Green, Chausa, Malda, Himsagar, Sundarja, Kesar, Alphonso, Totapari, Neelam, Baiganphalli, Pairi, Sindoori and Fazli. Hybrid varieties include Mallika, Amrapali, Pusa Arunima, Ambika, Ratna, Sindhu and Arka Puneet. Special varieties feature Hathijhul, Noorjahan, Laddu and Gulab Khas, while exotic entries include Miyazaki, Tommy Atkins and Golden Nuggets.