A think-tank on wild mango varieties - May 17

A think-tank on wild mango varieties - May 17

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, May 12, 2015 : On  may 17, Sunday, interested local people at a village near Vittla will assemble for the cause of saving wild mangoes.

Wild mangoes, which once dominated households in villages, have now become scarce due to extinction of wild mango trees in forests and countryside.  Hybrid mangoes have captured  the market and  many people today have not tasted the wild varieties and there are not many takers for them in cities.

Halasu Snehi Koota of Ubaru-Kepu near Vitla has taken the initiative of organising a meet on wild mangoes at a school in Muliya on May 17 from 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Both agricultural scientists and farmers would come together at the meet to make an effort to save many varieties of wild mango, according to Muliya Venkatakrishna Sharma, one of the organisers.

There would be an exhibition of wild mangoes, sale of its plants and sale of their value added products.  A book ‘Kaadu Mavina Meluku’, which describes how to prepare over 50 food items from wild mangoes, would be released on the occasion.

Some of agriculturists who would participate include M R Dinesh, from Indian Institute of Horticulture Research, Bengaluru; R. Vasudevan from College of Forestry, Sirsi; Saritha Hegde of Krishi Vignana Kendra, Kasaragod; Mohan Talakalukoppa of Cashew Research Centre, Puttur. In addition, Mapalthota Subraya Bhat who has developed over 70 wild mango trees near Sullia and Shree Padre, Executive Editor, Adike Pathrike, a farm monthly, will participate.  The participants would discuss about steps to be taken to save many wild mango varieties, their uses and how to market them.