The Sweetness of Pakistani Mango

By Rida Hussain

ASouth Asian delicacy, Mango, the king of fruits, is abundantly cultivated in the plains of Sindh and Punjab of Pakistan. One can see the dense mango orchards spread over large hectares along the National Highway on the journey from Karachi to Lahore. Pakistan is among the top 10 producers of mangoes in the world with Chaunsa- the most sought-after variety.

Besides being a scrumptiously sweet fruit with a tender pulp inside, the fruit is a power pack of nutrients and energy booster. If consumed in the morning, it provides tremendous energy to keep up with the day. Mango helps balance cholesterol level, provides clean skin and strengthen the immune system.

The fruit can be peeled and eaten raw once it is ripe or chopped into desserts and salads, blended to make smoothies, and even used to makes mango lassies. Unripe green mangoes are used to make mango pickles and mixed vegetable pickles.

From drinks to main course meals to desserts, over the years chefs have used the fruit innovatively with other ingredients. Today, mango is used in approximately up to 37 dishes worldwide.

History

Mango cultivation dates back to 5000 years ago in the region extending from China to Southeast Asia. International historians claim that the fruit was first introduced to countries like Malaysia and China around the 4th Century BC. Persian traders took the mango to the Middle East and Africa from there the Portuguese brought it to South Africa and Brazil. Since the mango seeds are large they always depended on humans to be transported. Out of 1595 varieties of mango, only a selected few are grown for commercial purposes.

Mango Diplomacy

Meanwhile, Mughals were very fond of this fruit. Memoir and historical records of the Mughal Emperors like the Babur Nama, Ain-e-Akbari, and Tuzuk-e-Jahangiri talks extensively about the mangoes. All the Mughal Emperors had spent lavishly on the development of large mango orchards wherever they settled in the sub-continent. Mughals were the patron of Mango diplomacy, still reverently followed by Pakistan to strengthen the relations with other countries through the sweetness of the fruits.

In Pakistan, mango is not only a national fruit but a part of the culture and an important diplomatic emissary, often used for social networking and bonding.

Cultivation

The hot and humid plains of Sindh and Punjab with heavy rainfalls, established irrigation system, and the temperature reaching from 20 to 40 degree Celsius are the best places for the cultivation of mangoes.

According to an estimate, the fruit is cultivated in the area of 95 thousand hectares in Pakistan. Cities of southern PunjabRahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Multan, and Muzaffargarh are the centers of mango cultivation in Pakistan. Pakistan produces nearly 5% of the world’s production of mango making it the sixth-largest producer of the fruit in the world. The annual production of mango reaches 1.75 million tons in Pakistan, making it a substantial export commodity.

In Sindh, Mirpur Khas, Hyderabad, and Thatta dominate the cultivation of mango. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar and Mardan constitute for the cultivation of mango. Mango needs higher temperatures of ripe and with summers approaching a month earlier in Sindh, it takes a lead over Punjab in terms of market supply and offering a variety of mangoes.

Sindh produces some of the highly-demanded varieties of mango like Sindhri, Saroli, Dasehra, Sunehra, and smaller quantities of species native to Punjab like Langra, Chaunsa, and Anwar Ratol. Of these, 70% comprises Sindhri which is often called the ‘King of Mangoes’. Sindh contributes 40% of the total mango production in Pakistan.

Punjab produces species of Langra, Anwar Ratol, Chaunsa, and Dussehra available in markets. Langra hit the markets from mid-July to August.

Chaunsa-the leading variety of Mangoes.

More than 200 species of mango are cultivated in Pakistan. Chaunsa, the most available variety of mangoes, is originally from Rahim Yar Khan and Multan. It is ripened in June-August and is available till September. Chaunsa, exported from Pakistan, is the most-loved variety of mango worldwide. The fruit’s exceptionally rich flavor, aroma, juicy pulp, and nutritive values have given it an advantage over other mango cultivars produced in other Asian countries.

According to an anecdote, the variety of the fruit was made popular by Emperor Sher Shah Suri throughout the subcontinent. While celebrating his victory over the Mughal emperor at Chausa, he named his favorite variety of mango, Chaunsa.

Sindhri

Sindhri, a leading variety from Sindh, is a large oval-shaped fruit and extremely sweet and aromatic. They are cultivated in Mirpur Khas, the seventh-largest city in Sindh. The fruit is sliced into small cubes and consumed with Baisan ki

Roti (Gram Flour Flatbread) as a daytime meal in traditional Sindh households. The fruit is best suited to be used in making pickles.

Anwar Ratool

As per an interesting fact, the fruit was named after Anwarul-Haq, the first man who cultivated the fruit in India’s Uttar Pradesh. The fruit is extensively cultivated in Punjab and is available from July to August.

Dussehra

The mango cultivar can trace its roots back to the orchards of Nawab of Lucknow of 18he century. The fruit with its sour taste is best suited to be used for milkshakes, sauces, and beverages.