Doha: Lulu Hypermarket Group, as part of their promotion calendar, has launched Mango Festival (Mango Mania) from Thursday. All the Lulu outlets in Qatar have made it convenient for the connoisseurs of this exotic fruit to taste the versatility, and to buy the best taste that suits their palate. The idea behind the festival was to introduce various varieties of mangoes and to make it popular among the local community and in the Middle East.
This year a variety of more than 85 popular and delicious mangoes from the US, Brazil, Ivory Coast, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Indonesia, Sudan, Yemen, Pakistan, Egypt, Kenya, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka are on display. Organic, Kent, Palmer, Tommy Atkins, Manalagai, Cengkir, Harum Manis, Long Mango, Kesat, Grape Mango, Sundhari, Sindhooram, Nadan, Panchavarnam, Vazhakoombu, Neelam, Kader, Kazhaled, Chenkal Varikka, Rumali, Kilichundan, Mallika, Malgova, Kalapadi, Himapasanth, Kotturkonam, Aanathala, Allover, Ammini, Apple Gound, Badampuri, Black Rose, Chakkara Gound, Cheeri, Cheru Nadan, Dilpasanth, Gova Mango, Gudadat, Jailer, Ko Mango, Kudoos, Ladu, Moovandan, Nadasala, Natti Colour, Nattiya-1, Nattiya Big, natty Gold, Ottumalgova, Palgova, Priyoor, Red Apple, Red Rose, Santhi Malgova, White Malgova, Alphonso, Badami, Thottapuri, Kesar, Rajapuri, Peather, Roja, Omlet, Green Sweet Mango, Chockanan Mango, Mahachanok, are among them. The festival will also feature a range of mango-based products.
Mangoes are seasonal fruits and fresh mango fruit season begins in the month of May, when the rich fragrance of the fruit heralds its arrival, and is usually harvested while they are green but perfectly mature. Unripe ones are extremely sour in taste. It is believed to be originated in the sub-Himalayan plains of Indian subcontinent and is one of the most popular, nutritionally rich fruit with unique flavour, fragrance, taste, and heath promoting qualities making it a common ingredient in new functional foods often called ‘super fruits’. It is quite interesting to know that mango is the national fruit of many countries — India, Pakistan and the Philippines — and mango tree is the national tree of Bangladesh. In Australia, where mangoes are considered to be a symbol of summer, the first tray of mangoes of the season is traditionally sold at an auction for charity.
Fresh stocks of mangoes from 16 countries have been imported for the festival. Leading varieties of mangoes are now on sale at all Lulu Hypermarket outlets at highly modest prices. The festival of mangoes will continue until Monday at all Lulu Hypermarket outlets in Qatar.
The Peninsula
