Farmers to use QR code to promote Malda mangoes

Malda: To promote Malda mangoes nationally and globally, the farmers are to introduce QR codes on their fruits. The district Horticulture department has also extended a helping hand to spread the practice among the growers looking to send their fruits in various states and countries.

Scanning this code, the consumers can have every detail about the mangoes on their fingertips which ultimately help in the brand promotion of the Malda mangoes. The QR code is being used by Debkumar Ghosh, a mango grower from Ratua, in the Malda Mango Mela and Handloom-Handicraft Expo, currently going on at Janpath Road of New Delhi.

The QR code will have detailed information of the mangoes of its variety, the orchard it’s coming from, the farming technique whether organic or not, use of chemicals or pesticides if any and the geographical location of the orchard. According to the officials of the concerned department, such information is very necessary for the expansion of this trade, not only in other countries but in the big cities of India also.

For now, the farmers can use these codes for only the 3 varieties of mangoes — Himsagar, Fazli and Lakkhanbhog — which have earned their Geographical Indication

(GI) tag. Samanta Layek, deputy director of district Horticulture department, said: “It’s not that anyone can write false information about the fruits. First, our department will certify the registered grower about his mango production and on the basis of that, the authorities of GI tagging will send him the required license to use QR codes.”

Ghosh, who is using the codes, came forward to make his own code. The department has also helped him as he is a registered mango grower under the Horticulture department. The mangoes are now being sold with stickers of this code in Delhi and the consumers can check the variety and background of the mangoes easily.