'Yogi aam' star attraction at UP's mango festival

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has earned a unique distinction of being named after a mango, which is making headlines at the sixth mango festival in Lucknow.

A.C. Pathak of Muzaffarnagar told ANI that the 'Yogi mango' was made by a mango cultivator named Tariq Mustafa.

Describing the Yogi mango, Pathak said, "The mango is small and round shaped. The speciality of this mango is the colour. It is saffron in colour. Tariq Mustafa has over 100 varieties of mangoes in his farm. 60 varieties from Muzaffarnagar, including Yogi mango, is here at the fair."

He added that the 'Yogi mango' will come in the market in the next three to four years.

The two-day festival, which began on Friday, saw people relishing over 700 varieties of mango, such as 'Dussheri', 'Lucknow Safeda', 'Husnaara', 'Gulab Khaas' and 'Tommy Atkins'.

A local told ANI, "We were not aware of so many varieties of mango. This is also a good opportunity for farmers. The varieties of the mango are very good. Such initiatives should happen in other places."

Upen Kumar Singh, secretary-general of Awadh Aam Utpadak Baghwani Samiti said the mangoes displayed in the festival belonged to a farmer's group.

He told ANI, "The festival itself is a speciality. Many people are seeing different types of mangoes. But when they taste them, they are relishing different types of mangoes in one place. Even children will be aware of so many varieties of this fruit. There are at least 780 varieties of mango on display here."

Singh further said that mangoes help cure diabetes and also increase blood sugar level.