Summer is incomplete without mangoes. These delicious fruits add colour to the season. The annual Mango Mela at Lalbagh showcases the king of fruit in style. The event started on Friday.

Initially the authorities had called off the mela owing to a low yield of mangoes, this year but they had a last minute change of plans. However there are only 30 varieties of the fruit on display, since only 3.5 - 4 lakh tonnes of mangoes have been produced against the estimated 8 lakh tonnes.

Mango farmers from all over the state have brought their produce to Lalbagh to sell them directly to consumers. "The mela not only helps farmers, but also people who purchase the organically grown and ripened fruit directly from the growers. The mela benefits entrepreneurs, scientists and processing industries for interaction and exchange of ideas," explains horticulture and agricultural marketing minister Shamanur Shivashankarappa.

The event also showcases jackfruit, a wide range of pickles and many other products.

Source: The Times of India