Mango festival kicks off in Multan: Minister says steps taken to increase agri production

MULTAN: A three-day mango festival 2019 was started at the Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture here on Friday.

More than 100 mango varieties are displayed in the festival. The university also organised a cultural evening on the first day of the festival. Punjab Minister for Agriculture Malik Noman Ahmed Langrial inaugurated the festival. MNSUA Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Asif Ali, High Commissioner of Federal Republic of Nigeria Ashimiyu Adebaya Olaniyi and High Commissioner of Indonesia Iwan Suyudhie Amri also attended the inaugural ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, the Punjab minister said that the festival was contributing a major role to increase the export of mango.

He told that mango production was largely contributed by Punjab. About 200 varieties of mango were cultivated in Pakistan, including Dusehri, Sidhari, Langra, Ratool, Chaunsa, etc, he added. Mango was the second largest fruit produce of Pakistan after citrus, he informed. Almost every district of Punjab grow mango, he continued. The minister said that our mango was popular in Pakistan as well as global markets particularly Middle East, Britain and Europe due to its taste and aroma. Now our mango was the cheapest in international markets as compared to other countries, he told. The minister praised the efforts of the MNSUA for improving the production and export quality of regional mango. The minister emphasized that the participation of ambassadors from different countries and stakeholders from public and private sector would contribute to increase the export of the fruit. The minister informed that the government had started working on new plans for improvement of agricultural production and profitably with higher exports, which would contribute to end poverty. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering and Technology VC Prof Dr Amir Ijaz Malik said that the government was completely aware of the trade situation and they were searching for new international markets for export of mango.

He said the taste of Pakistani mango was unique in the world. We were in a transformation stage from traditional to technological approaches for improving production practices, he added. MNSUA VC Prof Dr Asif Ali said that mango was the king of fruits and according to an estimate it had about 4,000 years old history in the sub-continent. The university was establishing new footings for mango production and introduced high density mango plantation in the region, he informed.

The university had planted a model farm of mango for farmers while adoption of this technology would substantially increase the mango production, he continued.