New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) With around 500 varieties of mangos in all shapes and sizes on display, the 23rd annual Mango Festival commenced here Friday.
Organised at Dilli Haat in west Delhi’s Pitampura neighbourhood, the festival celebrating the grandeur of the mango was inaugurated by Delhi Health and Family Welfare Minister Kiran Walia.
‘The festival showcases mangos as small as a litchi and as big as a papaya. In addition, fresh mangoes and processed mango foods like pickles, chutney, juice, jelly and jam will also be on sale,’ said an official.
Mango lovers can throng the venue everyday between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. till Sunday, the official added.
The festival provides agro industries and food processing industries with more exposure as they get an opportunity to display their products to a large gathering.
‘India’s mango exports are expected to rise to 70,000 tonnes this year from last year’s 65,000 tonnes. The country’s total mango production is expected to be around 15-16 lakh tonnes during 2011,’ added the official.
While the maximum number of mangos is exported to the Middle East, Europe and neighbouring countries of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, India is contributes nearly 50 percent of the world’s total mango production, said the official.
