By Our Correspondent
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Friday that Uttar Pradesh will export 40 tonnes of mangoes to Japan and Malaysia this year. He also noted that, for the first time in 160 years, the famous Dussehri mangoes from Lucknow are being exported to the United States.
Inaugurating the Uttar Pradesh Mango Festival 2024 at Awadh Shilp Gram, the CM stated, “While the price of Dussehri mangoes in India ranges between Rs 60 to Rs 100 per kilogram, their price in the US market has risen to Rs 900 per kilogram. Considering duties, cargo, and airfare costs, sending one kilogram of mango to America could cost up to Rs 250-300. Even then, farmers and gardeners would save around Rs 600 per kilogram of mango.”
Highlights
- CM Yogi inaugurates the Uttar Pradesh Mango Festival- 2024
- ‘Jo aam hoga, wahi raja bhi’: CM
- Dussehri mangoes from Lucknow are being sold in America for Rs 900 per kg: CM Yogi
The Chief Minister emphasized that the state government has been organizing the Mango Festival for the past 7-8 years to honour progressive farmers and gardeners. The government aims to ensure that mangoes from Uttar Pradesh reach not only the domestic market but also the global market.
“You all know that the fruit known as ‘Aam’ in our common language is accessible to everyone. It is simple and beneficial for all. ‘Jo aam hoga wahi raja bhi hoga,’ which is why we consider mango the ‘king of fruits,’” Yogi said.
Highlighting that the gardeners of Uttar Pradesh produce 58 lakh metric tonnes of mangoes on just 315,000 hectares of land, Yogi said, “This accounts for 25 to 30 percent of India’s total mango production. Last year, the Horticulture Department team visited Moscow, accompanied by farmers from Lucknow and Amroha. They organized a mango festival there, which resulted in orders for the farmers.”
He added: “In collaboration with the Government of India, the state has established four pack houses in Saharanpur, Amroha, Lucknow, and Varanasi to support the farmers.”
CM Yogi emphasized that Uttar Pradesh leads the country in mango production, but maintaining both quantity and quality in response to a growing population is essential. The knowledge gained from such festivals must be utilized to enhance the global popularity of Uttar Pradesh’s mangoes. He stressed the importance of identifying potential export markets and expanding reach to those countries.
CM Yogi assured that the state government, in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies, is fully committed to the interests of farmers, gardeners, and livestock owners. The initiatives and schemes designed by the Prime Minister will significantly boost the income of farmers and gardeners.
During the program, CM Yogi inaugurated a mango exhibition showcasing 120 varieties of special mangoes in an attractive display of different species and their products. He also flagged off a mango truck destined for export to various countries, honoured progressive mango farmers, and released a mango souvenir. The festival, from July 12-14, features a mango-eating competition and a training seminar.
The festival features over 700 varieties of mangoes. The three-day event has attracted mango farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan.
Additionally, garden representatives and mango farming experts from various states are participating in the festival.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Horticulture, Agricultural Marketing, Agricultural Foreign Trade and Agricultural Export Dinesh Pratap Singh, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, Agriculture Production Commissioner Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi and other dignitaries were present in the program.
