A one-day mango festival was hosted at the deputy commissioner’s (DC) office premises on Saturday to link regional farmers directly with buyers and elevate rural incomes. Farmers representing all 11 blocks of the district and four Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) under the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society ( JSLPS) gathered to exhibit their harvest. During the event, DC Rajiv Ranjan conducted an administrative inspection, reviewing the stalls to assess the diverse agricultural output.

The impressive displays included popular varieties of the fruit such as Amrapali, Himsagar, Langra, Fazli, Dasheri, Baiganpalli, and Mallika. In a notable highlight, the DC officially named a locally grown Banana mango variety ‘Kayra’, which translates to banana in the Santhali language. Throughout the festival, officials urged farmers to implement modern horticulture techniques and align their practices with current market demands.

The festival also laid the groundwork for significant economic impact and ambitious export goals. Plans are currently underway to establish better transit linkages to supply these local mangoes to other districts and states, while the administration ultimately aims to export these high-demand varieties to the European Union. Emphasising sustainable growth, Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC) Nagendra Paswan stressed the need for regular scientific farming training for beneficiaries, Bagwani Sakhis, and MGNREGA workers.

The event proved to be an immediate commercial success, with consumers directly purchasing 1,074 kilograms of fruit and generating 53,700 in revenue for local growers. Participant Kamala Mahato said the high farmer turnout was successfully driven by an awareness chariot launched by the administration on June 4.

Exporter Md Khalid noted that Amrapali, Mallika, and Himsagar mango varieties grown in East Singhbhum are popular in the Middle East. He confirmed plans to export these varieties while proactively promoting the region’s Kayra mango internationally.