10-day-long mango fair in city from May 30

Manabesh MohantyBhubaneswar: Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) will host a 10-day mango fair in the city from May 30 to June 9, offering residents a wide range of mango varieties sourced from farmers and Farmer Producer Companies (FPC)s. It aims to provide a direct marketing platform to mango growers, ensuring consumers get quality fruits at reasonable prices without middlemen.The fair will be held at four locations — Saheed Nagar, Ekamra Park area, Gopabandhu Nagar and Pokhariput. Popular mango varieties like Amrapalli, Mallika, Dasheri, Langra as well as indigenous species will be available. This year, visitors will get an opportunity to enjoy mango-based products like juice, shake and ice cream.Satya Sundar Sibaram Paital, CEO (marketing), ORMAS, said, “Farmer Producer Companies and women self-help groups are actively associated with the fair this year. The objective is to strengthen market linkage for farmers and promote Odisha’s rich mango diversity.”He added, “Around 20 stalls will be set up at the venues, showcasing nearly 14 varieties of mangoes brought by farmers and producer groups from 11 districts from Odisha.”Paital said the addition of mango-based beverages and ice creams will make the fair more attractive for visitors. “We are also focusing on hygienic display and better customer experience at all locations,” he added.Officials said the participating districts will bring farm-fresh mangoes directly to the stalls every day to maintain quality. The event is expected to help farmers secure better returns through direct sales while promoting local agricultural produce in urban markets.