Chief Minister Pramod Sawant figuratively took a dig at the summer pride of Maharashtra, the Alphonso mango, by insisting that the mankurado mango, a native Goan variety, tastes better than its counterpart.
Speaking at an agriculture conference near Panaji, Sawant also said that the Goa government is making efforts to get a GI (Geographical Indication) tagging for the variety of mango, which is unique to Goa.
"GI tagging is important when it comes to farming. We are taking efforts in that direction in Goa. The mankurado mango is a speciality of Goa," Sawant said.
"We all say that the Alphonso mango is popular, but I can say for sure that the mankurado mango is tastier. I can say it with a lot of pride," Sawant said.
The mankurado is one of the most sought after mango varieties in Goa during summer and having a mankurado tree in the yard is regarded as a matter of pride for the homeowner. While the mango itself is fleshy, it contains a lot of fibre, unlike the Alphonso.
But its more local fan following is no match for the global craze which the Alphonso mango has triggered over the years, especially the Devgad and the Ratnagiri variety, whose smooth, creamy flesh forms the base for a variety of mango pulp-based products.
Sawant also said that the state government was also trying to obtain GI tagging for other indigenous produce like chillies originally grown in the Arambol village and brinjals from Taleigao, near Panaji.