June 06, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-us-Sani 01, 1429

MIRPURKHAS, June 5: The district administration is holding the three-day 43rd National Mango and Summer Fruits Festival, which starts today in the newly-constructed centrally air-conditioned exhibition hall.

Over 500 growers, fruit exporters, foreigners, elected representatives and agriculturists besides people from different walks of life are expected to participate in the annual festival, which has now become part of Mirpurkhas’ identity.

The administration has been holding it without break since 1965 to encourage farmers and increase the fruit’s production in the area, which produces the country’s best variety of mango namely Sindhri.

The country is the 6th biggest exporter of mango in the world. In 2001-02, Pakistan exported 5,344,4000 kilogramme of mango, earning $1,500,000 for national exchequer, in 2006-07, the fruit’s export stood at 61,632,000 kilogramme and the country earned $19,859,000.

The country produces over 200 varieties of mangoes of which Sindhri is on top as far as its taste, size and flavour are concerned and Mirpurkhas tops the list of areas producing this variety.

In 2000-01, mango orchards were spread over 45,000 hectares in the province and they produced 340.5 tons fruit, while in 2006-07, the mango orchards were spread over 50,700 hectares and they produced 353.4 tons.

The mango orchards in Mirpurkhas are spread over 12,140 hectares, which produce 67,318 metric ton fruit.

The district produces over a hundred varieties of the fruit, including Sindhri, Anwer Ratol, Began Pali, Zafran, Gulab Khasa, Langra, Saroli, Dasehri, Collector, Neelam, Tota Pari, Salah Bhai, Almas, Anool, Batli, Dadami, Dilpasand, Fajri, Fazli, Gadri, Gulqand, Gilas, Hathi Chole, Hyderabadi, Jagirdar, Kherol, Khushnuma, Lal Badshah, Lahoti, Malgra, Multani Baig, Nayab, Patasha, Rampuri, Seroli Black, Safeda, Shahenshah, Sher Shah, Sindh Sudhar, Samar and Yakta etc.

The management committee of the festival has planned different sports competitions and recreational activities during the event to attract masses. The 43rd annual festival, which runs from June 6 to 8, will be held for the first time in the newly-built centrally-air conditioned exhibition hall that has just completed with an estimated cost of Rs58.5 million.

Over 100 companies will put up their stalls in the festival, in which over 500 growers from Jamshoro, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Tando Allahyar and other districts and towns of the province are expected to participate besides a large number of exporters, elected representatives, officers, foreigners and agriculturists.

The inauguration of the newly-constructed exhibition hall and festival will be held simultaneously on June 6 and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah will be the chief guest of prize distribution ceremony to be held on June 8.