Sri Lankan mangoes took centre stage at Bahrain’s vibrant Mango festivals this May and June, featured prominently by two of the country’s largest Supermarket chains, Lulu Hypermarket and Al Jazira.

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Bahrain, as part of its economic diplomacy initiatives, has been actively encouraging leading Bahraini retailers to source fresh mangoes and other fruit varieties from Sri Lanka. 

According to the Sri Lankan Embassy, LuLu hypermarket at The Avenues launched the Mango season on 23rd May with its lively “Mango Mania” inauguration celebrating diverse mango varieties from around the world.

Sri Lankan mangoes were once again thrust into the spotlight at Al Jazira Supermarket’s inaugural event on 4 June – “The Great Mango Football Fiesta”.  

Alongside Sri Lanka’s fruit, Mangoes from India, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines were also showcased.

A highlight of the Al Jazira festival was a Live cooking demonstration also featuring Sri Lankan cuisine prepared with Sri Lankan mangoes.  

Complementing this were product stands displaying Ceylon Tea brands, further promoting the best of Sri Lanka’s exports. (Newswire)

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Nawala residents were left puzzled after an unusual theft incident was reported, where an intruder broke into a house and spent nearly 30 minutes searching the premises, only to leave with a single mango.  

The bizarre incident, which occurred in the early hours of the morning, was discovered by the homeowners when they noticed their cupboards and belongings had been rummaged through. 

Upon reviewing the CCTV footage from inside the house, it was revealed that the thief methodically searched various rooms before settling on the mango.  

The video, now in the hands of the police, shows the intruder calmly exploring the house, with no indication of panic or haste. Authorities are currently investigating the incident, while no further valuables have been reported missing.  

Police urge residents in the area to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. (Newswire)

Strange Theft in Nawala: Intruder Spends 30 Minutes Searching, Steals Only a Mango pic.twitter.com/mSL7eIA68s

— NewsWire (@NewsWireLK) January 7, 2025

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Pakistan’s mangoes, once a reliable source of export earnings, are facing a significant decline in production and quality. Trade disruptions, unsupportive domestic policies, and climate change have adversely affected the mango industry for the third consecutive year.

This year, Pakistani traders have reduced their export target from 125,000 tonnes to 100,000 tonnes due to lower production and average quality, both attributed to the negative effects of climate change. High temperatures and water shortages have become major concerns for mango growers across the country.

Pakistan produces approximately 1.8 million tonnes of mangoes annually. However, the output this year is expected to be around 1.2 million tonnes, a significant drop according to the All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association. “The effects of climate change have emerged as the biggest threat to mango production, which can well be gauged from the fact that mango production has declined for the third year in a row,” said Waheed Ahmed, patron-in-chief of the association.

In 2022, mango production declined by around 50 percent. In 2023, the output saw a 20 percent dip, making the previous export target of 125,000 tonnes difficult to achieve. About a decade ago, Pakistan’s mango exports surpassed those of India, the largest mango producer, in terms of value. However, Pakistan has struggled to maintain that momentum.

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) cited higher temperatures, water scarcity, and issues with transportation and supply chain as reasons for the lower production of mangoes and other fruits. “Mango exports have traditionally contributed substantially to Pakistan’s foreign exchange earnings. Regrettably, this source of foreign exchange has been adversely affected,” stated the PBS’ 2023 annual report on external trade statistics.

The adverse weather conditions have led to a deterioration in the quality of mangoes, directly impacting exports. “The impact of climate change is having a pronounced negative impact on mango orchards in Pakistan, leading to a significant reduction in production. Due to the non-availability of export-quality mangoes, the export target could not be attained last year as well,” Ahmed explained.

Traders have criticized the Pakistani government for not focusing on research and development (R&D) that could help address the problems faced by mango growers. They highlighted issues such as the development of new seed varieties, agri-tech, awareness, and farming operations. Another reason for the dwindling mango exports cited by the traders was “favouritism” by Pakistan’s Department of Plant Protection (DPP).

Traders allege that the DPP allowed around 90 percent of hot water treatment plants to operate, affecting the quality of mangoes exported. Additionally, the DPP reportedly lacks the infrastructure and trained manpower required to meet the compliance standards of phytosanitary import conditions issued by countries like the US, Australia, Japan, and the European Union.

The food processing sector is also struggling due to rising costs of electricity, gas, transportation, garden maintenance, pesticides, and water management. The imposition of a 20 percent excise duty on top of an 18 percent Goods and Services Tax has further crippled the sector, leading to reduced interest from fruit juice companies in purchasing mangoes. “Not a single company has contacted me so far for the purchase of the mangoes left over from export,” said Mubashar Durrani, a mango grower from Multan.

As a result, farmers are unable to earn fair remuneration and must sell their mango produce at lower rates in the domestic market. “Most of our produce is exported, but demand fluctuates. During declines, we sell to local pulp producers who then supply juice makers,” said Fayyaz Chaudhry, another mango grower from Multan. Given the highly perishable nature of mango varieties grown in Pakistan, farmers are often forced to sell their produce at throwaway prices in the absence of export and value-added facilities. (Khaama Press)

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Four individuals have been arrested for having stolen mangoes worth Rs. 700,000 from a 20-acre mango farm in the Madunagala area in Sooriyawewa, Hambantota. 

The Police stated that the suspects had carried out the theft on Monday (27) after having arrived in a van and had illegally entered the mango farm.

The owner of the farm who had received information on the robbery had apprehended the suspects with the assistance of the area residents.

The Police stated that the suspects are residents of Sooriyawewa and Horana, while a 14-year-old schoolboy was among the arrested persons. 

The Sooriyawewa Police is conducting investigations into the incident. (NewsWire) 

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