Lucknow: The three-day Uttar Pradesh Mango Festival 2025, held at Awadh Shilpgram in Lucknow, came to a vibrant close on Sunday with a grand award distribution ceremony. The event, which showcased a confluence of sweetness and progress, was presided over by State Minister for Horticulture, Agricultural Marketing, and Export Dinesh Pratap Singh, who honored the winners across various categories.
The closing day also featured a technical session on the importance of food processing and employment generation, drawing participation from experts across the country. The festival saw a massive turnout of 1,449 participants, who presented 2,853 mango samples representing 800 varieties across 58 categories, including fresh and processed products.
Minister Dinesh Pratap Singh emphasized the importance of adopting modern horticultural techniques, such as fruit bagging and organic farming, to boost the quality and export value of mangoes. He announced the development of a high-tech Integrated Testing and Treatment Facility near Jewar Airport and highlighted ongoing projects like the International Potato Center in Agra and Centers of Excellence in horticulture.
Excise Minister Nitin Agarwal shared that the state now has a policy for fruit-based wine production, with a mango wine plant already operational in Malihabad. Similar facilities will soon come up in Meerut, Bareilly, and Muzaffarnagar.
Environment Minister Dr. Arun Kumar Saxena called the festival a valuable platform for mango growers to exhibit their produce and encouraged citizens to contribute to environmental conservation through tree plantation.
Key Highlights of the Festival:
- 46 categories in 7 fresh mango classes awarded 122 prizes to 45 winners.
- 22 winners in 11 categories of preserved mango products received 29 prizes.
- Mohammad Abdul Salim (Ambika variety) won Best Display Award, securing 21 prizes overall.
- Other top winners: Iqbal Ahmed (15 prizes) and S.C. Shukla (11 prizes).
- For most varieties displayed:
- 1st prize: S.C. Shukla (121 varieties)
- 2nd prize: Padma Shri Haji Kalimullah Khan (72 varieties)
- 3rd prize: Awadh Mango Growers & Horticulture Committee (63 varieties)
- In the mango-eating contest, Arikta Singh, Anika Mishra, and Abhishreshth took the top three spots.
- Processed mango products such as mango ice cream, mango jalebi, mango halwa, and mango rasgulla drew huge crowds.
The festival featured colorful displays of traditional and exotic mango varieties like Dussehri, Langda, Chausa, Safeda, Rataul, Amrapali, Arunika, Sensation, Ambika, and Tommy Atkins. Miniature mangoes like Angoor Dana (15g) and massive ones like Haathijhool (5 kg) captivated visitors.
The event was jointly organized by Horticulture and Food Processing Department, Mandi Parishad, Tourism and Culture Department, LDA, NHRDF, Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture Rahmankhera, and the Lucknow district administration. It brought together farmers, SHGs, processors, exporters, nursery owners, scientists, and entrepreneurs.
The festival was inaugurated on July 4 by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, with participation from Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, Urban Development Minister A.K. Sharma, and cultural icons like Pawan Singh and Dr. Kumar Vishwas.
At the closing, Director of Horticulture & Food Processing Bhanu Prakash Ram extended heartfelt thanks to all participants, dignitaries, and contributors who made the festival a grand success.
