A mango festival held recently in Pune, India, is one of a handful of events aimed at increasing returns for growers in the domestic market.
The Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB) is facilitating the direct sale of fruit from 1,000 different farmers in various cities around Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.
The Hapus and Alphonso mangoes being sold are prized for export value, however only 10 to 15 per cent of production makes it overseas. A majority of produce ends up in the domestic market which, in India, is saturated by middlemen, according to Indian Express.
The mango festivals organised by the MSAMB are looking to increase the number of farmers they engage, and expand to more cities to promote the festival.
“The board will help the farmers with lodging and boarding. We are asking local bodies to provide us spaces where the farmers can set up stalls and sell their ware,” said Sunil Pawar, managing director of MSAMB.
The cities of Solapur, Nashik, Nagpur, and Aurangabad are next in line to host mango festivals. Talks are also underway for cities like Indore and Bhopal.
Pawar said that the MSAMB will also be looking to launch the initiative for Kesar and other popular mango varieties grown in Maharashtra.
