Mango Festival attracts hundreds

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

The 3-days ‘Pakistan Mango Festival’ has attracted a large number of diplomatic corps based in Dubai as well as community members from Emiratis, Pakistanis, India, European and other Westerners residing in Dubai.

The major attraction of unique 3-day festival was over 70 food dishes made using different varieties of mangoes from Pakistan, which is one of the largest mango exporting country in the world.

Dillu Stephen, chef de Cuisine at the Giardino Restaurant, Palazzo Versace Hotel told Gulf Today that they have prepared over 70 dishes with mangoes including a number of curries, chutnies and deserts.

“It was not an easy task but we took this challenge to create many dishes including as main course. We started our preparing a couple of days ahead of the festival to try and taste the varieties of dishes and we are delighted to announce that all the dishes have been approved and enjoyed by our guests comprises of dignitaries from different nationalities,” he said.

The country has more than 250 varieties of mangoes with each one having its own unique scent and taste and over 30 varities were displayed at the festival for the visitors to taste and admire.

The festival was organised by the Consulate General of Pakistan in Dubai in collaboration of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan at the Palazzo Versace Hotel in Dubai.

Ahmed Amjad Ali, Consul General of Pakistan while opening the festival in the presence of a large number of guests has highlighted the country’s one of the largest produce and said that the first of its kind festival in Dubai will bring more attention to the multi-community residence of Dubai to taste and enjoy the huge verities of mangoes also known as ‘king of fruits.’

“In Pakistan over 250 varieties of mango are being cultivating in which very few number 25-30 are producing on commercial purposes including Dusehri, Anwar Ratol, Langra, Chaunsa, Sindhri, Maldha, Fijri and others,” he said.

He pointed that the demand of Pakistani mangoes and mango products is constantly on the rise especially in overseas markets like China, UK and UAE.

The major mango producing areas of Pakistan include Multan, Bahalwarput, Muzzafargarh and Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab province while Mirpur Khas, Hyderabad and Thatta in Sindh as Dera Ismail Khan, Peshawar and Mardan in Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa province.