Roundup: Egypt's Ismailia celebrates mango harvest with annual festival

The Star

7 days ago

ISMAILIA, Egypt, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The sweet aroma of ripe mangoes filled the air in Egypt's Ismailia as the governorate launched its annual Mango Festival on Friday.
The one-day festival promises a vibrant celebration of the region's most valued fruit, with this year's edition featuring a wide array of activities, including mango tasting sessions, culinary competitions, cultural performances, and large numbers of stalls overflowing with various types of the delicious fruit.
Visitors flocked to the festival grounds early in the morning, eager to sample the diverse range of mangoes on offer, from the Baladi and Zebdya to the Awees, Sukkari and Tommy Atkins varieties.
At the festival, the vibrant atmosphere was catching, with families strolling through the stalls, children enjoying games, and the rhythmic sounds of traditional Egyptian music filling the air.
"I come every year," said enthusiastic visitor, Ahmed Abullah. "The mangoes here are simply the best. I love trying the different types and seeing all the creative ways people use them in food."
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ismailia Governor Akram Mohamed Galal said the festival underscores the growing awareness of the importance of the mango crop and its rising status in the national agricultural economy, as it has become one of Egypt's most prominent export crops in recent years.
Galal said that the area of land dedicated to mango cultivation in Ismailia represents more than 36 percent of the total mango-growing area in Egypt.
"This reinforces its position as a leading agricultural hub and a cornerstone for the production and export of this vital crop," he said, adding that Ismailia produces more than 720,000 tons of mangoes annually across an area of approximately 120,000 feddans (about 50,400 hectares).
He pointed out that the festival aims to create opportunities for export agreements among traders, commercial attaches, and foreign import-export companies.
The heart of the festival lies in the bustling marketplace where farmers and vendors display their harvests.
Mango seller, Ali Mahmoud, who has been cultivating mangoes in Ismailia for over four decades, said this festival is crucial for mango sellers and growers.
"It allows us to connect directly with customers, showcase the fruits of our labor, and earn a good income. This year's harvest has been particularly good, and we are looking forward to a successful festival," he told Xinhua.
He affirmed that the festival aims to promote the mango crop in Ismailia, and open new horizons for investment in the agricultural sector.
"It also supports farmers by providing direct marketing outlets for their crops and encouraging the export of Egyptian mangoes," he said.
According to official data from the General Organization for Export and Import Control, Egypt's exports of fresh mangoes amounted to 143 million U.S. dollars in 2024.
Egypt produces about 1.3 million tons of mangoes annually, making it one of the largest producers of this fruit globally, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture.