Growers from regions famous for mangoes, including Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Natore, will bring their own mangoes to the Pran Mango Fest, billed as the country's biggest mango festival. The three-day festival starts tomorrow, 10 July, at Rabindra Sarobar in Dhanmondi in the capital.

All kinds of mangoes grown in the country will be displayed and sold. The origins, history and heritage of different mangoes will be presented to the younger generation, and various games and traditional cultural performances from rural Bengal will make the festival more attractive.

In the cultural segment, the popular band Warfaze, singer Oishee and other well-known artists will perform.

This was announced at a press conference at Pran Group's head office in Badda in the capital on Wednesday (9 July).

The Pran Mango Festival will run daily from 10am to 8pm, and people of all walks of life can attend free of charge.

At the press conference, Pran Group managing director Eliyas Mridha said: "Pran Group is the largest buyer of mangoes in the country. In the mango season we collect mangoes from about 10,000 contract farmers across the country and turn them into juices and drinks that we bring to consumers all year round. Through this fair we have given growers from several districts famous for mangoes the chance to display their different mangoes, so that they can present their taste, heritage and history to the younger generation."

He added that the market for mango products in the country is now about Tk 1,500 crore and that there is huge demand for Bangladeshi mangoes abroad, which calls for branding. "Pran has become a source of national pride. Pran makes juices, drinks, mango bars and pickles from locally grown mangoes and exports them to about 148 countries. Our goal is to take Bangladesh's mangoes to every corner of the world through Pran juices and drinks."

Md Moniruzzaman, executive director of Agricultural Marketing Company Limited (AMCL) (Pran), said this is the first time they are organising the Mango Festival. Cultural events, games and other attractions open to everyone have been arranged to make it festive for the younger generation. "We hope everyone will enjoy our event," he said.

AMCL head of marketing Mahmudul Hasan Jisa, assistant brand manager Omar Bin Zubair and Pran Beverage sub-assistant brand manager Tanzibul Haque Tushar were also present at the press conference.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.