By Avijit Biswas
Bhagalpur, June 6: With the formation of the new central government imminent, gift packs of luscious Jardalu mangoes, an exclusive variety from this region, were dispatched to Delhi today. The recipients will include the soon-to-be Prime Minister, his council of ministers, the President of India, and other dignitaries.
Jardalu mangoes, which have a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, are renowned for their taste, fragrance, and thin peel. Every summer, these mangoes are sent as state gifts to dignitaries and VVIPs, including high-ranking officials at foreign embassies in Delhi. The local administration also sends Jardalu gift packs to the state capital for important persons and dignitaries.
In anticipation of the new government assuming office soon, the Jardalu gift packs were dispatched to the national capital today via the Delhi-bound Vikramshila Express. The local administration procured the choicest sizes of Jardalu mangoes from the orchard of Ashok Choudhury in the Sultanganj block for these gift packs.
Ashok Choudhury, popularly known as the “mango man” for his high-quality mangoes, reported that a total of 2,000 five-kilogram packets of Jardalu mangoes were prepared for dispatch to Delhi. Of these, 1,400 packets were sent today, with the remaining packets scheduled for dispatch tomorrow. Choudhury also mentioned that gift packs planned for the state capital would be dispatched soon.
The local administration carefully selected mangoes for the gift packs after thoroughly examining their quality. Choudhury noted that overall mango production in the region is significantly lower this season compared to the previous one. He attributed this to rainfall during the flowering period and adverse weather conditions during fruiting. Additionally, since mango trees typically produce more fruit in alternate years, this is considered a lean season for production.
Choudhury also informed that the production of Malda, a mid-season mango variety extensively grown in this region, has been severely affected by untimely rain during the flowering season. However, the adverse weather conditions had less impact on Jardalu production, as it is an early variety.
Since 2007, the state government has been sending gift packs of this exclusive mango variety to dignitaries and VVIPs every year. Abhay Kumar Mandal, the District Horticulture Officer, who was present at the railway station during the dispatch, stated that from Bihar Bhawan in Delhi, the mangoes would be sent to dignitaries, including the Prime Minister and the President of India.
