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Lucknow Aam Mahotsav: Plant tree at home, eat mangoes in two years
Stalls at the Lucknow Aam Mahotsav are selling saplings of dwarf mango trees which can be grown in small spaces or in pots at homes
Stalls at the Lucknow Aam Mahotsav are selling saplings of dwarf mango trees which can be grown in small spaces or in pots at homes.
“With an average height of 10-12 ft, these dwarf trees can yield fruit in two years unlike having to wait for years. In fact, some plants can even produce fruit throughout the year,” said Aftab Ahmed from the Awadh Nursery of Malihabad, who was given the first prize and felicitated by chief minister Yogi Adityanath for growing the best variety of Dussehri mango in Malihabad.
“There are more than 200 varieties of tree saplings both Indian and foreign breed including Amkiba, Amrapali, Gulab Khas, Arunika, Mia Jaki, Noor-Jahan, Fana, Swarekha, Alphanso, Langara, Tommy Atkins, Sensation, etc,” said Ahmed, who has been in the business for last 30 years.
The saplings range from ₹60 to ₹2,000 and are in huge demand. “As we grow towards natural and organic farming, these dwarf seedlings could be a small step towards it. I’m buying a few varieties from here in the hope that I won’t have to buy mangos from the market which are mostly ripened unnaturally using chemicals,” said a buyer.
Out of the large collection, one variety named ‘Thailand Mango’ is most talked about at the Mahotsav which is imported from Thailand. “Once fully grown, it gives fruit throughout the year. Even during off-season, it gives small and medium-size mangoes which can be used in chutney or pickles.”
