Ahmedabad: Grown around the foothills of
Girnar mountains in Junagadh district of Gujarat, the lip
smacking mango variety `Kesar` will soon be getting global
recognition as Gir Kesar Mango.
"The university has filed Geographical Indication (GI)
application for the mango variety grown here to find global
recognition as Gir Kesar Mango," Director Research Junagadh
Agriculture University (JAU) H J Vyas said.
"We expect GI registration will be granted in the
hearing fixed for May 7 in New Delhi," a JAU official said.
Kesar will be the second mango variety in India (after
Dussheri from Uttar Pradesh), to get the registration. The
move will convey assurance of quality and distinctiveness
essentially attributed to the place of its origin in a defined
geographical locality.
Post registration, mango growers in 18 talukas of
Junagadh and Amreli districts around the periphery of Gir
Wildlife Sanctuary will be able to reap the benefits of added
value attached to their produce.
Nearly 20,000 hectare area is under mango cultivation
in both these districts, with an estimated production of two
lakh tonnes per annum, he added.
Talala, Keshod, Vanthali, Una, Kodinar and Mangrol
talukas are the main centres for Kesar mango in Junagadh
district, while for Amreli, the centres are Dhari, Khambha,
Rajula and Jaffrabad.
"Kesar mango was first spotted by Junagadh Wazir Sale
Bhai in Vanthali taluka of Junagadh," Vyas said.
Subsequently, it was sent to Mangrol`s Sheikh Jehangir
Mia, who after having the delicious fruit sowed the kernel in
his garden and named it `Saale ki Aambdi`.
Coming to know about the fruit, the Junagadh garden
superintendent A S K Iyengar gathered information about it
from Jehangir Mia and visited Vanthali to prepare a few grafts
for planting them in the district, JAU official said.
"Later, around 75 grafts prepared by him were planted
at the Junagadh Laal Dori farm situated on the foothills of
Girnar mountains and after three years Junagadh Nawab Babi
Mahabat Khanji-III was offered the fruit to taste," he said,
adding the nawab liked the taste and gave it the name `Kesar`
around 1934.
PTI
