The Malda district administration’s ambitious ‘Aamar Malda’ initiative to brand and promote mangoes cultivated in the region has begun to yield results, with nearly six metric tonnes of export-grade mangoes being shipped to Europe and West Asia in the first consignment of the season.

The initiative is spearheaded by the district administration along with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture (CISH), Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) and the state horticulture department.

The branding project focuses on scientific cultivation, branding and market linkage for Malda’s mangoes.

District administration sources said the first consignment included Lakshmanbhog and other premium export-grade varieties cultivated under the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)-based mango clusters.

The fruits were dispatched to Milan in Italy and several Middle Eastern countries. Another 1,500kg of premium Amrapali mangoes has been exported to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), taking the total exports in the first phase of the season to around six metric tonnes.

Malda mangoes are regularly exported to Scotland, the United Kingdom, the UAE, Bhutan and several other countries.

“Last year, approximately 15 metric tonnes of mangoes produced in the district were exported to those countries with the help of the international exporters. The feedback we received from buyers in these countries through the exporters is excellent,” said Samanta Layek, deputy director of the state horticulture department in Malda.

“This year, nearly 250 to 300 metric tonnes of mangoes are likely to be exported to the European and Asian countries,” he added.

The district administration and the CISH unveiled the ‘Aamar Malda’ logo earlier this month, and launched a dedicated portal to strengthen the branding, marketing and global visibility of Malda’s mangoes while also inviting tourism to the district.

The initiative has brought together the Malda Mango Merchants’ Association (MMMA), the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), ICAR, fruit-based entrepreneurs and other stakeholders.

“Mango orchards were identified, the clusters were formed and mango growers were trained about GAP. The result is encouraging. The mangoes are now being produced without inorganic fertilisers, pesticides and forbidden chemicals. Thus, the orders are coming from the international market,” said a CISH official.

District magistrate Rajanvir Singh Kapur said the achievement reflected the success of coordinated governance and farmer-centric interventions.

“This achievement is a testament to what institutional convergence can deliver on the ground. The district administration remains committed to promoting export-oriented agriculture and ensuring that our farmers receive better market access and higher income opportunities,” Kapur said.

“Malda mangoes have immense global potential and we will continue to scale up such initiatives under ‘Aamar Malda’,” he added.

Dipak Nayak, principal scientist at CISH, expressed confidence that exports would continue to grow.

“Through systematic training, field-level demonstrations, and continuous handholding, we have been able to support growers in meeting stringent export requirements and positioning Malda mangoes as a reliable, premium product for global buyers,” Nayak said.

Ujjwal Saha, president of the Malda Mango Merchants’ Association, said: “This export success demonstrates the transformative impact of scientific mango cultivation under GAP protocols. The farmers of Malda have shown remarkable adaptability and commitment to quality production, which has opened new international avenues for their produce.”