Gandhinagar: On the occasion of National Mango Day, which will be observed on Tuesday, the state govt said that mango cultivation accounts for more than one-third of the total area under cultivation for horticulture crops in Gujarat. In 2024–25, mango cultivators in the state exported over 856 metric tonnes of mangoes, the govt said on Monday.Quoting state agriculture minister Raghavji Patel, the statement said that over 1.77 lakh hectares, accounting for 37% of Gujarat’s total 4.71 lakh hectares under horticultural crops, are dedicated solely to mango cultivation. Patel said that Gujarat’s favourable climate and soil conditions support the growth of not only the Kesar mango but also other varieties such as alphonso, rajapuri, totapuri and sonpari.Mango cultivation in Gujarat is primarily concentrated in the districts of Valsad, Navsari, Gir Somnath, Kutch and Surat. In 2024–25, Valsad led with the highest area under mango cultivation at 38,000 hectares, followed by Navsari with 34,800 ha, Gir Somnath with 18,400 ha, Kutch with 12,000 ha and Surat with over 10,200 ha. Approximately 224 metric tonnes of Kesar mangoes were irradiated and exported this year through the Gujarat Agro Radiation Processing Facility, established by the state govt at Bavla near Ahmedabad. This facility is Gujarat’s first and the country’s fourth irradiation unit certified by Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the statement added.
