The main features of the Mango Mela 2012 are the display and sale of different varieties of non-carbide mangoes.
Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy will inaugurate the month-long Mango Mela 2012, at Exhibition Grounds in Nampally, on Friday.
The Mango Mela is being organised by the Department of Horticulture, in association with the Economic Committee of the Exhibition Society.
Horticulture Minister Ramreddy Venkatreddy will also participate in the mela.
The main features of the Mango Mela 2012 are the display and sale of different varieties of non-carbide mangoes, to bring awareness among farmers, consumers and general public about the harmful effects of the use of calcium carbide for ripening fruits.
The mela will also focus on providing incentives of value addition to farmers for mango-ripening with ethylene - including harvesting in plastic crates, and ethylene ripening facilities at identified locations of Vijayawada, West Godavari and Hyderabad.
A number of farmers from various districts will participate in the Mango Mela in Hyderabad.
Arrangements have been made for the display and sale of non-carbide mangoes, in 45 stalls.
The mela will be conducted in 3 phases. Under the first phase, farmers from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna and Khammam Districts will participate. Swagatham, Pandurivari Mamidi, Chinna Rasalu, Pedda Rasalu, Cheruku Rasalu, Suvarnarekha, Panukulu, Panchadarakalasa, and Himayath are the varieties that will be displayed.
Under the 2nd phase, to be held from 24 April to 3 May, farmers from Guntur, Nellore, Warangal, Karimnagar, Medak, Nizamabad, Adilabad and Ranga Reddy Districts will participate. Banganpalli, Chinna Rasalu, Pedda Rasalu, Cheruku Rasalu, Bangalore, Kesari, Dasheri and Himayath are the varieties that will be displayed.
The 3rd phase will be held from 4 May to 14 May, during which farmers from Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Kurnool, Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa and Prakasam Districts will participate. The varieties that will be displayed are Banganpalli, Bangalore, Alphanso, Khader, Neelam, Neelesan and Rumani. (INN)