Mango Festival sees stellar response in Birbhum

Kolkata: The Mango Festival, organised by the state Agriculture department in collaboration with the Horticulture department at Rampurhat in Birbhum, has become immensely successful with thousands of people pouring in to taste 106 varieties of the fruit.

Seven districts, including Malda, Murshidabad, East Burdwan, Purulia, Bankura and Birbhum, participated in the fair.

There are stalls where the varieties of mangoes have been exhibited. On the opposite side of the exhibition counters, there are stalls from where mangoes are sold at the right price.

Asish Banerjee, the state Agriculture minister, said: "People are over enthusiastic and thousands of people are visiting the mango fair. The situation is such that the fair had to be kept open for four more hours than its scheduled time."

It is a new experience for the people of the district, as this is a one-of-a-kind event. Mango cultivators from all the seven districts have participated in the fair, with as many as 106 varieties of mango. Seminars were also organised in which experts have shared their knowledge with farmers and given tips to ensure growth in the production of mangoes.

The cultivators have also sought suggestions of the experts to solve various problems, which they had been facing while cultivating mangoes.

The cultivators have also set up their respective stalls in the fair. A competition has also been organised to award the best stall. Top brass of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya are judges of the competition and they will be selecting the award winners, who will be felicitated with trophies.

At the same time, the first position holder will be getting a token amount of Rs 1,000 and Rs 750 will be given to the second position holder.

It may be mentioned that mango festivals are often organised in the city and its surrounding areas, but this is a unique step as the fair has been conducted in a district. The fair has been conducted at a time when mangoes from Malda are getting exported to foreign countries.

MP Satabdi Roy and state Fisheries minister Chandranath Sinha were also present at the event.