Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced here on Friday that this year, Uttar Pradesh would export 40 tonnes of mangoes to Japan and Malaysia.

Yogi Adityanath said, “This is the first time in its 160-year history that Lucknow’s Dussehri is being exported to America. The price of Dussehri in India is between Rs 60 and Rs 100 per kg, but in the American market, it is sold at Rs 900 per kg. If we add duty tax, cargo and airfare, and transportation charges, the price of one kg of mango would be around Rs 250-300 in America. But still, a farmer and gardener would save Rs 600 on one kg of mango.”

Speaking at the inauguration of the Uttar Pradesh Mango Festival- 2024 here, he pointed out that the state government had been organising the mango festival for the last 7-8 years. At this event, the government honours its progressive farmers and gardeners.

“We are making efforts to ensure that the mangoes produced in UP reach the market not only in the country but also in abroad,” the CM said.

The farmers of UP produce 58 lakh metric tonnes of mango in just 3.15 lakh hectares. The state alone produces 25 to 30 per cent of the country’s total mango production.

A team from the Horticulture Department, along with farmers from Lucknow and Amroha, visited Russia last year to organise a mango festival and receive orders from there.

The UP government built four-pack houses for the farmers of the state in Saharanpur, Amroha, Lucknow and Varanasi with the cooperation of the government of India.

The chief minister claimed that UP is the leader in mango production in the country but now, the state will have to endeavour to maintain both quantity and quality in keeping with the demand.

A total of 120 varieties of special mangoes of different species were on display at the mango exhibition inaugurated by Yogi on the occasion. The chief minister also flagged off a mango truck loaded with mangoes for export to different countries.

A mango eating competition and training seminar is on at the festival which will continue July 14.

Mango farmers from many states, including UP, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, are participating in the three-day programme.