This summer Delhiites would be able to feast on lip-smacking varieties of juicy mangoes from West Bengal's Malda district as the state government is organising a mango festival in the national capital.
Around 24 tonnes of Bengal mango varieties like Himsagar, Laxmanbhog, Langra and Fazli are being sent to Delhi, Malda District Magistrate S K Dwivedi said.
"The main objective of organising this festival is to establish the brands of Malda mangoes and to facilitate its marketing," he said.
Organised by the food processing industries and horticulture department of the West Bengal government, the mango festival will be held at Dilli Haat from June 10 to 30.
Varieties of raw mango and their allied products like mango leather (Aam Satta), pickle, aam kasaundi, mango panna, etc, will be showcased and sold.
Litchis from Malda and Murshidabad would also be on the platter for fruit lovers.
Dwivedi said people outside Bengal are well aware of other varieties like Alphonso of Maharashtra, Dusheri and Chausa of Uttar Pradesh, Banganapalli of south India but the commercial mango varieties of West Bengal like Himsagar, Laxmanbhog, Langra, Fazli are not so well known.
"However these mango varieties of West Bengal have a unique taste, flavour and other good characteristics," he said.
To encourage mango growers and traders, the state government has decided to promote the native fruit varieties not only in India but also in foreign countries.
