The association of the mango traders of Malda has appealed to the district magistrate for steps to enable more production and wider export of the fruit.
In a letter to the DM, the Malda Mango Merchants’ Association (MMMA) said they wanted infrastructure development of the mango packhouse set up nearly a decade ago.
The packhouse is used for processing mangoes, including hot water treatment and proper packaging, before the fruit is exported.
“We want the packhouse to be renovated and modernised. Newer technology should be made available at the packhouse located in Englishbazar so that more volumes of mangoes can be processed in a shorter time with the help of the best available technology,” said Uzzal Saha, president of the MMMA
“Advice and technical help in this regard could be obtained from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA),” he said.
“This is our demand before the state government,” he added.
The mango traders’ organisation has also demanded that Malda, which produces more than 3.5 lakh metric tonnes of mangoes annually, should be declared as one of the major mango hubs of the country.
The MMMA president said: “If Malda is officially declared as the ‘mango hub’ of the country, the Indian government will engage experts to closely monitor the production of the fruit in Malda. Producers will get technical help to grow mangoes
in larger volumes and maintain the quality of the fruit so that it is appreciated by the national and international buyers. Producers would be entitled to get post-harvest compensations if necessary,” Saha added.
Three varieties of Malda mangoes — Lakshmanbhog aka Lakhna, Himsagar and Fazli — received the GI tag.
“We have also applied for the GI tag for the Aswina variety of mango, which we believe will be approved soon,” Ujjwal Chowdhury, the MMMA secretary, said.
Mango traders requested the district administrations to provide them with a space within the regulated market premises where mango and litchi producers can sell their harvest directly to buyers.