The Malda mango may just get juicier.
A project that aims to promote the mangoes of Malda in national and international markets, boost exports, and develop mango-based tourism in the district kicked off here on Tuesday.
Helmed by the district administration, the initiative — titled Aamar Malda, a portmanteau of mango and Malda — is being implemented in collaboration with the Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture (CISH), local farmers and exporters.
Addressing the gathering, district magistrate Rajanvir Singh Kapur described mango cultivation as the economic and cultural backbone of the district.
He said the administration's objective was to establish a strong global identity for Malda mangoes, comparable to internationally acclaimed varieties such as Alphonso.
"Building a global brand cannot happen overnight, but today marks the start of that journey," Kapur said.
Malda MP Khagen Murmu said, “Malda is known across India and beyond for producing some of the finest mangoes. From the aromatic Himsagar to the iconic Fazli, the district’s orchards support lakhs of families and carry the unique taste of Malda to different parts of the world."
“The journey from production to consumption is lengthy. There are several stakeholders — the small farmer, the wholesaler, the retailer, the exporter, the transporter and the research agencies. But they mostly work in silos....,” said Gazole MLA Chinmay Deb Barman, who was present during the program.
Malda is widely regarded as one of India’s leading mango-producing regions.
At present, three major mango varieties — Laxmanbhog, Himsagar (Khirsapati), and Fazli — have received geographical indication (GI) tags.
According to sources in the district horticulture department, Malda produces nearly 3.80 lakh tonnes of mangoes annually from around 31,958 acres of orchards owned by approximately 96,600 growers. Nearly five lakh people are dependent on mango cultivation, processing, packaging, and trade.
Promoting mango tourism is one of the key aims of the project. “Tourists should get to visit orchards, pluck the mangoes and taste them on the spot,” said an official.
Efforts are also underway to scale up the involvement of online aggregators and hypermarkets, he said.
The official logo was unveiled in the presence of representatives from the Malda Mango Merchants’ Association (MMMA), Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and other groups associated with the mango industry.
"We are working towards securing GI tags for other popular varieties such as Amrapali, Langra and Mallika," said Uzzal Saha, president of the merchants' association.
Dipak Nayak, principal scientist at CISH, highlighted efforts to train self-help groups and farmers in scientific and sustainable mango cultivation practices with minimal use of harmful chemicals.
Growers welcomed the branding initiative.
"It is good if such branding helps expand domestic and international markets for our fruit," said Mohidul Haque, a senior mango cultivator in the district.