Mango delight for air commuters

Horticulture Marketing Board promotes the tropical fruit for travellers waiting at Delhi airport

It's time to feel refreshed after a long flight. How? By grabbing your favourite fruit served at the lounge counter of the city airport instead of the usual Italiano pizza or burgers that are the norm.

The Horticulture Marketing Board (HMB) for the first time is displaying all the major varieties of mango in collaboration with Delhi International airport at the domestic and international terminals.

The waiting lounges are selling juicy Alphonso and desi Langra at their counters, among other known varieties across the country.

"We for the first time are displaying mangoes for an airport in India. Thousands of foreigners and domestic commuters visit the airport every day and this effort will help in publicising the famous tropical fruit of our country. If other airports also come forward, we'll be ready to establish counters there as well," said Bijay Kumar, managing director, National Horticulture Board.

The mango stalls are on display from May 31 and will remain open for the next 10 days. More than 14 Indian varieties such as Kesar, Alphonso, Gelchia, Imam Pasand, Mallika, Roomani, Neelam, Ruchika, Totapuri, Amrapali, Dusehri, Langra, and Gulabkhas are there for commuters to dig in. Apart from the fruits, a number of mango-based products like jams, pickles, fruit juice, candy, aam papad, aamchoor are there for travellers to experiment.

"The commuters will have an opportunity to know more about the fruit and its farming through informative pamphlets and posters. The information will also include the health benefits of mangoes and the innumerable possibilities of using the fruit in different beverages and cuisines," said another official of HMB.
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"Generally, popular variety of one part is not adequately available in other parts of the country. Even if it's there, the cost is too high. So, this time we are collaborating with various firms for the marketing for the produce of different states. By doing this, the general public will be able to get all varieties in one place and farmers would also get a good price," said Kumar.u00a0