Bhagalpur, already celebrated for its fine silk, traditional Manjusha art, and distinctive Jardalu mangoes, is expanding its horticultural footprint through an innovative rural model. To scale up the cultivation of this famed mango variety, plans are underway to establish an exclusive Mango Village within the district. While Jardalu orchards dot villages across the region, Bihar Agricultural University is spearheading an initiative to concentrate production within a single village. This setup aims to offer visitors a comprehensive look at commercial Jardalu cultivation while significantly ramping up regional harvest volumes.
Building on the Success of Sabour Sindoor Gram
This initiative mirrors a previous milestone achieved by Bihar Agricultural University in Sabour, where the institution established a Sindoor Gram by planting more than 1,000 vermilion saplings in a single village under close institutional monitoring. Drawing on that success, the university is now replicating the cluster model for premium mangoes. According to Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Public Relations Officer at BAU, Vice-Chancellor Dr. D. R. Singh envisions this initiative as a sustainable path to raising rural incomes and driving grassroots economic progress by scaling regional specialty produce.
Addressing Market Demand and Export Logistics
Market appetite for the fragrant Jardalu mango has climbed steadily, yet overall production levels have struggled to keep pace with consumer interest. By concentrating orchards inside one dedicated settlement, packaging, handling, and outbound shipping will become significantly more efficient. The project outlines the plantation of more than 500 high-quality saplings, creating an agricultural framework intended to turn the selected village into a self-reliant economic unit capable of feeding national and international supply chains.
Mango Specialist Ashok Choudhary to Steer Development
Technical guidance and field management for the project have been entrusted to recognized pomologist and mango specialist Ashok Choudhary, widely known as Mango Man. His practical knowledge of orchard maintenance and cultivation techniques will steer the development of the groves. Once fully established, the dedicated mango settlement is designed to curtail local labor migration by serving as a major hub for harvest employment, fruit trade, and agri-business activities.
