Lucknow: UP is the leading producer of mangoes and honey in the country. “The honey produced in the state is being branded as ‘Kashi honey’ with the aim to gain global recognition,” said Dinesh Pratap Singh, minister of state (independent charge) for horticulture, agricultural marketing, agricultural foreign trade and agricultural export, UP, while addressing the gathering at the mango festival in Lucknow on Friday.He expressed gratitude to chief minister Yogi Adityanath for inaugurating the three-day event at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan on Friday. It was the state’s ninth mango festival.The CM released the ‘Mango Festival 2026’ souvenir and honoured progressive orchardists at the event.The horticulture minister noted that more than 800 varieties of mangoes were showcased at the festival. The festival was organised across three venues, Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, orchards of Malihabad (with cooperation from farmers) and Janbhavan.“Thanks to the hard work and efforts of the department, horticultural crop production now accounts for 42% of the output from 9% of the state’s land,” he said, adding that horticultural products from the state are reaching the US, the UK, Arab nations, Malaysia, Singapore, Kuwait, New Zealand, Belgium, Japan, Italy, Qatar, Russia, Germany, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Oman, Nepal, Thailand, Bahrain and Sweden.The department has introduced innovative measures to promote the cultivation of crops such as makhana (fox nut), dates, lotus, strawberries and dragon fruit.This is apart from the paper bag technology to improve mango quality, formation of an export promotion board, establishment of high-tech nurseries and promotion of lotus cultivation, said Singh.The number of saplings distributed through high-tech nurseries has risen from 74 lakh to 29 crore in the current govt, said the minister.He said that the department is promoting rooftop gardening in urban areas, which will not only conserve the environment in cities but also make people connect with nature.“Initiatives such as the chief minister state horticulture development scheme and divisional-level seminars on horticultural advancement have been organised to promote high-value crops — such as medicinal plants — on smaller land areas,” said Singh.
