Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A three-day mango festival was organised under the arrangements of Sardar Group of Companies at The Centaurus Mall, Islamabad where stalls of different breed of mangoes were displayed.

Turkmenistan Ambassador Atadjan Movlamov, Secretary Narcotics Arif Nawaz Khan, Pashchimanchal Gas Company Limited Senior Vice President Yasir Ilyas Khan, Higher Education Executive Director Dr Arshad Ali and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (MNS) University of Agriculture Vice Chancellor Dr Asif Ali were also present at the time of inauguration. This festival was also attended by agricultural experts, mango growers and representatives of cultivators’ organisations from all over the country.

Minister for Agriculture, Food & Planning & Development Punjab Sardar Tanvir Ilyas Khan played a pivotal role in planning, organising and executing the said festival. This show was organised under the collaboration of the management of The Centaurus, Inter University Consortium, MNS University of Agriculture and Seven Oceans association. The basic aim of organising this exhibition at The Centaurus was not only to highlight the importance of Pakistani mangoes but also to increase and enhance their export and this exhibition will play an important role in enhancing the productivity of mangoes.

Pakistan is the fourth largest producer of mangoes and shares 8 percent of the production. The total under cultivation area for mangoes in Pakistan is 170 million hector. At present, there are multiple breeds of mangoes in Pakistan out of which nine are registered. The famous types of mangoes are chaunsa, Sindhri, Anwar Ratole and langra which have no match in taste in the entire world. Moreover, the government of Punjab has taken multiple steps in the field of agriculture which would ensure more production of mangoes and revenue generation and in all this, the role of Sardar Tanvir Ilyas Khan can never be undermined and shall be remembered as an initiator.

In a very short duration of caretaker government, Sardar Tanvir has initiated revolutionary steps for the development of agricultural field, continuation of which shall pay an important role in the country’s development.

He has also donated a sum of Rs 20 million in personal capacity to MNS University of Agriculture which is a very noble step and no such precedence exists. This deed of his will act as a beacon and source of inspiration for others. The total production of mangoes in year 2015-16 was approximately 175,000 and 80 tonnes whereas export was 64,000 and 112 tonnes. Last year, Pakistani mangoes were exported to many new countries out of which Japan, America, Lebanon, Marakish and South Korea are on the top of the list.

Published in Daily Times, August 4^th 2018.