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Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Delicious weekend for Delhiites as 34th Mango Festival kicks off
Written by Anushka Srivastava 'Bachpan ki yaadein, garmi ki chhuttiyan, naani ka ghar, bade se pateele mein saare aam dubo ke rakh dena, aur phir ikatthe baith ke khana, kabhi choosne wala, kabhi kaatne wala aur phir mango shake bana ke peena. (Childhood memories of summer holidays at grandma's home — putting all the mangoes in a big pot of water, then sitting together to eat them. Sometimes the kind you slurp, sometimes the kind you slice, and finally, blending them into a mango shake to enjoy).' Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta evoked the nostalgia associated with the king of fruits as she inaugurated the 34th Mango Festival 2025 at Thyagaraj Stadium, Friday. The festival is an effort to celebrate the different varieties of mangoes grown in various states and salutes the farmers. 'This year, many government departments and universities such as ICR Delhi, IAR Delhi, Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Directorate of Horticulture UP, Bihar Agricultural University, Hisar Agricultural University are also participating, making this festival grander than ever before,' said Niharika Rai, MD & CEO, Delhi Tourism. Chief Secretary Dharmendra, inviting all Delhiites to visit this festival, said, 'Swaad, Sanskriti, Parampara aur Parivar ke saath samay bitaane ka achha avsar hai yah Aam Mahotsav. (The Mango Festival is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate flavour, culture, tradition, and spend quality time with family.') Appreciating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, Kapil Mishra, Minister of Art, Culture and Language, said most farmers in the festival have benefited and taken loans under one of the government schemes. Md. Haroon, a mango grower from Lucknow, has been coming to this festival to sell his mangoes every year. 'Achhi bikri hoti hai isliye har saal aate hai yaha (I come here every year because sales are good.') The three-day festival from June 27-29 is open from 11 am to 9 pm for visitors. It includes an exhibition showcasing 400 varieties of mangoes, including Malda, Sindoori, Kesar, Amrapali, Mallika and many more. In addition, visitors can explore a range of stalls selling diverse varieties of the fruit and various mango-based products. Engaging competitions will be held, including slogan writing and quizzes for children, as well as a challenge to eat as many mangoes, with separate categories for men and women. There is a selfie point where people can click photos. Cultural programmes will be held throughout the event. A special attraction is a real mango orchard inside the stadium. This gives children who have grown up in the city a chance to experience what a mango orchard looks like, said officials. A free shuttle service is available for all visitors from the Dilli Haat-INA Metro station. (Anushka Srivastava is an intern with The Indian Express)
Hindustan Times
19-06-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
CISH, Israel institute to collab for superior mango cultivation
Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH) in Lucknow is set to collaborate with Israel for advanced research in mango improvement, its officials said. The announcement came during an interactive session on mango improvement hosted at CISH's Rehmankhera campus on June 17, where leading agri-scientists from India and abroad gathered to explore the future of mango breeding. CISH is a unit of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR). The event witnessed a high-powered exchange between Indian researchers and senior scientists Yuval Cohen and Amir Sherman from Israel's prestigious Volcani Institute. The initiative is spearheaded by T. Damodaran, the CISH director. Researchers from ICAR-CISH (Lucknow), ICAR-IARI (New Delhi), ICAR-IIHR (Bangalore), and Jain Irrigation Systems (Jalgaon) participated in discussions centred on growing superior mango varieties that can withstand climate extremes, deliver higher yields, resist pests and diseases, and meet global quality standards. 'India and Israel both have rich mango-growing traditions, but together we can take the fruit's cultivation to the next level,' Damodaran said. The focus is on leveraging genomics tools and marker-assisted selection to accelerate the breeding process, a significant shift from traditional, time-consuming methods. Israel's experience in high-tech horticulture, especially its rootstock 13-1 known for salinity tolerance, could prove critical in boosting mango production on challenging Indian soils. For the unversed, the 13-1 rootstock is a variety of mango rootstock that is widely used in commercial orchards, particularly in areas with calcareous soils and saline irrigation water. It is known for its tolerance to these soil and water conditions, as well as its suitability for high-density planting systems. The 13-1 rootstock was developed in Israel and is commonly used in commercial mango orchards there. Officials noted that the Indo-Israeli partnership will facilitate the exchange of genetic resources, innovative techniques, and technological know-how, aiming to position India at the forefront of global mango innovation.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Carbide-free fruit of the season on your doorstep with MangoBaba app
1 2 Lucknow: The MangoBaba app developed by a group of farmers in Malihabad is offering fresh and carbide-free Malihabadi Mangoes right at one's doorstep at an affordable rate. Former director of CISH Shailendra Rajan, the brainchild behind the app, said: "The mangoes delivered through the app are sourced directly from farmers who use techniques certified by the Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH). These techniques include bagging, scientific harvesting, pest control, pruning and a specially designed harvester that prevents bruising while plucking the fruit, minimising the chance of spoilage. These practices help produce naturally safe, high-quality mangoes." He said though the app was launched in 2020 during the pandemic it didn't get much traction. "The app has evolved over the years with a better user interface, real-time tracking, and payment options, including COD (cash on delivery) and online payment. The app features on Google Play Store. Though the app has no direct govt intervention or formal price regulation, transparency and fairness in pricing are maintained," Rajan said. He said with India Post as the logistics partner, deliveries can be made to far-off places as well. Rajan said mangoes offered on this platform are sold at almost the same price as those in the market. However, the value addition lies in packaging; each order is provided in a box with a protective foam net, a feature rarely seen on other platforms. "Mangoes are first properly graded and then priced accordingly. This ensures better quality control and more value to the customer. Every mango is traceable" he said.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Pest attack hits mango crop in UP, quality at risk
1 2 3 Lucknow: A sour deal awaits mango lovers this season as a widespread pest attack has affected crops in various parts of Uttar Pradesh. The rising temperatures are believed to be contributing to the pest issue, which can lead to scarring, reduced market value and compromised taste. The attack comes at a critical time when mangoes are growing in size, making them more vulnerable to damage. Despite the fruit size being better than previous years, the pests — including the 'dudwa' or paired fruit borer and 'cutter' (humpback caterpillar or semilooper) — are affecting mangoes in Malihabad and other parts of the state, potentially impacting the fruit's quality and yield. Director, Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH), T Damodaran, said that while mango leaves have hardened by now, insects are laying eggs on fruits, which are still developing, or on their stalks. "These pests thrive when temperatures rise. It was the trend last year also," he said, adding that fruits covered with protective bags are at a lower risk. For farmers who cannot afford bagging of fruits, as a single piece may cost around Rs 20, scientists recommend insecticides and sprays, but at specific spots where pests are active, or they may scatter for a while and come back again. Like semilooper, which releases a fine thread from its mouth and hangs down from the tree when disturbed by strong winds, rain or pesticides. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Мъжки сандали, създадени за комфорт и издръжливост. ZAROTRAVEL® КУПИ СЕГА Undo While the larvae may die in the process, the larger insects may crawl back. There is, therefore, the need to spray on tree trunks as well. The paired fruit borer is active between two mangoes or within fruit clusters, laying eggs and multiplying at the junction where two fruits touch each other, while semilooper is laying eggs on fruits which have tender skin and stalks. The larvae scrape and feed on the skin of the fruit, leaving it scarred and with holes, said the director. The infestation grows with a rise in temperature, and if not controlled early, it becomes difficult to manage, he added. However, some precautions can keep them away, like bagging the fruits, light but frequent irrigation, mulching the tree basin with dried leaves and 'canopy management' of old trees so that their height is reduced and they are easier to manage.
