District Collector Lakshmikatham inaugurated a two-day mango festival featuring twenty stalls displaying different varieties — Chinnarasam, Peddarasam, Tella Gulabhi, Kothapalli Kobbari, Tothapuri, Beneshan, Swarnarekha, Himam Pasad, Alphonso, Jahangir and Kesar — at Siddhartha Hotel Management College premises here on Saturday.
Farmers from Nuzvid, Vuyyuru, Agripalli, Reddygudem, A. Konduru and other villages from Krishna district have set up their stalls in the festival organized by the Department of Horticulture. “This is an interaction programme; the farmers will sell sell their fruits directly to the customers. The customers can get all varieties under one roof and can buy both in bulk and in small quantity,” said Joint Director Ajay Babu, Horticulture Department.
He said the government was taking steps for the promotion of the fruit in the State by organizing sellers and buyers meet for market linkages and by promoting organic farming, production enhancement in the existing gardens through micro-irrigation, canopy management and rejuvenation.
Mr. Babu added that steps were taken for the promotion of direct marketing, training and and upgrading skills in farmers.
He said the government was collaborating with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) for the promotion of exports of mangoes.
The aesthetically arranged fruits are drawing the attention of the locals; carvings on the fruits are an added attraction. Several visitors however felt festival of this kind should have been organised during the beginning of the season.
