The all delicious Malda mangoes are in high demand at the mango fest being organized by the state government in Delhi as the ‘Bengal Mango Mela 2019.’

Both popular and unconventional varieties of the fruit are being sold in the fest in good quantity. Mango growers said they have already sold the fruit worth more than Rs 60,000 in just two days. Officials are, meanwhile, hopeful to have Delhi as the next destination for Malda mango business, which so far is limited to around the northeastern part of the country.

According to Rahul Chakrabarty, the assistant director of the district Horticulture Department, who is in Delhi for the fest, a considerable crowd of buyers have been thronging at Malda mango stalls. “Having tasted the fruit in the previous year also, people turned up this year too in good numbers, looking for the same,” he said

Alongside the regular varieties like Himsagar, Langra and Lakkhanbhog, other nonrecognized varieties are also in demand, he added. “Mangoes like Ashudaagi, Khirbhog, Altapeti, Mishrikant have also been brought here, which the people are tasting first and then buying. These varieties are being sold at Rs 120 per kg, while Himsagar and Lakkhanbhog are being sold at Rs 200. The fest is now looking to attract more people than the previous year,” said Mr Chakrabarty.

It may be noted here that the annual fest is being organized by the state government since 2013 to promote mango varieties of the various districts of West Bengal among the people of North India, even though that region has its own varieties of mangoes.

Ujjwal Choudhury, the secretary of the mango growers’ association of Malda, who has also joined the fest, said he sees a new destination for Malda mangoes in New Delhi. “We would like to ask growers to sell their fruit in this part also, though they have become used to sending their mangoes to Agartala of Tripura and other places of the northeastern sid,” he said. “Looking at the enthusiasm of the people who visited the Mela in the first two days, I am very much hopeful of a new destination for the mango business of Malda. The variety of mangoes brought here by different growers in a very good condition is been appreciated by the buyers. It seems that we should now concentrate more in this part of the country for the benefit of Malda mangoes,” said Mr Choudhury.

The fest started on 16 June and will continue till 30 June at the Handloom Haat in Janpath. The fair will remain open from 11 am to 8 pm every day. Almost three tons of mangoes are being carried to Delhi in phases.