ISLAMABAD
The three-day Mango Festival held at the Centaurus Mall in collaboration with MNS Agriculture University Multan is attracting a large number of visitors and lovers of mangoes, the king of all fruits. On the second day (Saturday) too, mango growers, business community representatives and exporters visited the Mango Festival and examined its various kinds and types.
Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani was the Chief Guest on the second day of the festival. Besides him, MNA Hanif Abbasi, a number of ambassadors and distinguished members of the business community arrived and showed keen interest in the festival.
Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani parised the organizers for putting various types of mangoes (around 70) including Sindhri, Langra, Chaunsa, Anwar Ratol, and Dussehri, as well as unique varieties such as Neelun, Begum, and Sensation.
This festival offers a chance to see and purchase top-quality mangoes in one place. Since he hailed from mango-producing area Multan he took keen interest in each kind and instead of taking a briefing, he briefed the organizers about them.
CEO of The Centaurus Group and President IDA Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan welcomed the chief guest on his arrival.
In his welcome speech, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan said Pakistan was a global leader in mango production consistently ranking among the top producers. Over 300,000 smallholder farmers cultivate mangoes making it a vital source of income and employment in rural areas.
Punjab province reigns supreme contributing a whopping 78% of the national mango output, while Sindh province follows closely behind at around 21.6pc.
The IDA president said that Pakistan’s total mango production was 1.79 million tons annually, out of which only 6oc is exported mainly to the UAE, UK, Oman, the US and the European Union.
However, Pakistan’s post-harvest losses are very high ranging from 0.36 to 0.71 million tons, which is 20-40% of the domestic volume. The losses in mango production are much higher than those of its exports, he added.
To control losses and enhance export production, Sardar Yasir Ilyas urged the government and stakeholders to focus on promoting modern farming practices, providing training to farmers, investing in cold storage facilities, transportation and packaging infrastructure, implementing integrated pest management strategies, developing disease-resistant cultivars and exploring new export markets
The Mango Festival attracted a varied audience including academia, researchers, government officials, ambassadors, agricultural experts and mango growers. This event is a key platform to highlight the value of Pakistani mangoes and boost their export potential. By fostering knowledge exchange and interaction among stakeholders it enhances mango productivity and industry growth.
The theme of the event “Connecting Mango Growers, Businesses, Consumers and Exporters” aimed at facilitating connections and partnerships across the mango value chain.
The Centaurus Mall has been playing a significant role in promoting Pakistan’s local businesses, artisans, farmers, growers and other small industries by providing a platform that connects them to a larger audience.
Pakistani citizens eagerly wait for mango season as this delectable fruit was not just a source of deliciousness but also a significant contributor to the country’s economy and a source of national pride.
