UP Research Centre to certify dussehri mango

Regional Food Research & Analysis Centre (RFRAC), Lucknow, is gearing up to certify dussehri mango exporters in Malihabad region of Uttar Pradesh.

Recently, National Horticulture Board has registered the dussehri mango under the Geographic Indication (GI) Act for better marketing and visibility in international market.

RFRAC will collect the Malihabadi dussehri samples to record its DNA profile. The produce of individual dussehri exporter would be matched with the original DNA fingerprinting for certification of authenticity of consignment.

“We have received all the necessary equipment for the purpose,” centre’s director R P Singh told Business Standard.

Dussehri is primarily grown in Malihabad area of Lucknow district and is famous for its flavour and sweetness. It is exported mainly to the Gulf, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, besides the domestic market in the country.

The production of dussehri mango in Malihabad is around half a million tonnes spanning 24,000 hectares. However, only about 400 tonnes to dussehri is exported annually due to lack of adequate warehousing, packaging and transportation facilities.