303 farmers display 125 mango varieties

PATNA: At least 125 different varieties of mangoes have been put on display by 303 farmers at a three-day state-level exhibition-cum-competition at the city’s Desh Ratna Park.
Christened ‘Aamrotasv-2019’, the mango exhibition was inaugurated by state agriculture minister Prem Kumar on Saturday and will end on Sunday. Exotic breeds like Irwin, Tommy Atkins and Kensington Pride, among others, are the centres of attraction at the event.
According to horticulture director Nand Kishor, exporters from Kolkata have also been invited to the exhibition.“We want to provide a platform to our farmers so that they get in touch with exporters and do brisk business.”
A five-member jury from Bihar Agriculture University-Sabour (BAU) evaluated the mangoes displayed by the farmers on different parameters like shape, size, colour, smell and taste. Farmers of as many as 11 locally produced varieties, including ‘Zardalu’, ‘Digha Malda’ and ‘Amrapali’, competed with outsiders in the state-level competition. Cash prizes worth Rs 3,000, 2,500 and 1,500 were also distributed on the occasion.
BAU’s senior scientist Sanjay Sahay told this newspaper, “This exhibition is special as it featured mango hybrids like ‘Prabha Shankar’ and ‘Mahmood Bahar’.”
Besides, women entrepreneurs sold homemade mango pickles and jams at the exhibition. One of them, Puja Gupta from Patna City, exclaimed,“What a day! All my products have been sold out. A bottle of mango jam costs Rs 65 and a pickle bottle is available for Rs 60.”
Kids, in the age group of 8 to 14 years, also had a gala time at the exhibition, which remains open from 10am to 8pm. They took part in an ‘aam khao, inaam paao’ competition.