Miyazaki mango: There are several varieties of mangoes in the market, however, when it comes to the best among them, the 'Miyazaki' takes the crown as the world's most costliest mango. Selling at a whopping Rs 2.75 lakh per kg in the International market, the mango was showcased in the seventh edition of Siliguri's three-day-long- Mango Festival. Organised by Modella Caretaker Centre & School (MCCS) along with Association for Conservation & Tourism (ACT), the festival kicked off on Friday, June 9.
More than 262 varieties of mangoes will be displayed at the festival and 55 growers from nine districts of West Bengal participated in the festival. Some of the varieties on display are Alphonso, Langra, Amrapali, Suryapuri, Ranipasand, Laxmanbhog, Fajli, Bira, Sindu, Himsagar, Kohitoor and others.
Miyazaki hogs the limelight at festival
Raj Basu, Convenor, ACT and co-partner of the Mango festival said that they have displayed more than 262 varieties of mangoes, of them Miyazaki was the major attraction of the festival. "People are flocking around the mango and we received huge queries. They want to promote tourism through the festival. The association has appealed to UNESCO to declare Sompur Paharpur Mahavihara in Bangladesh-Darjeeling Himalayan Railway(DHR) corridor as the mango heritage corridor or Intunjable Cultural Heritage soon", Basu added.
ALSO READ: Mamata Banerjee sends Bengal’s best variety mangoes to PM Modi
The Miyazaki mango production was started in California in the year of 1940. Later it was brought into Japan's Miyazaki city and thus got its name Miyazaki mango. Recently Indian growers mostly from Bengal have started growing the variety in their gardens. It is also known as 'Red Sun' and in Bengali 'Surja Dim' (Red egg). The mango is popular for its nutrients, taste, colour and sugar content.
Know about Miyazaki mango
This mango type, which is originally from the Japanese city of Miyazaki, is mainly produced from April to August, when it is in its prime for harvest. The ripening process of the Miyazaki mango is mesmerising. It starts out purple, but as it gets closer to being fully ripe, it turns blazing red. In terms of size, a single Miyazaki mango weighs approximately 350 grams. However, under favourable conditions, it can grow up to an astounding 900 grams. This extraordinary fruit has also made its way beyond the borders of Japan and is now cultivated in countries such as India, Bangladesh, Thailand, and the Philippines.
(With ANI inputs)
