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July 2013
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Mangoes, however, are more than just gestational delights and on July 5 the Network of Rural Women Producers (NR WP), The UWI’s Faculty of Food and Agriculture, the Ministry of Food Production and the Inter- American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) brought stakeholders together for a conference that provided a forum for research work relating to the exploitation of mango ‘from seed to table’. Research and Development is the basis of the success of the mango at the producer and commercial level and therefore the growth of the mango industry in Trinidad & Tobago. The Mango Conference week of activities, which included a mango luncheon, culminated with the 4th Mango Festival at The UWI Field Station in Mt. Hope. The throngs of visitors who trekked or shuttled to the Field Station learnt about the many economic opportunities available through the sustainable use of the mango. The Festival featured a range of mangoes and mango products, and visitors were able to purchase items such as muffins, cake balls, crumble, raisin cookies and nutbread, lotions, creams, soaps and scented candles – all made from the mango. There were even mango pedicures! A variety of the locally grown fruit was on display at every booth: sweet, juicy, versatile and delicious mangoes of every size and variety such as the sinfully sweet Julie, considered the Queen of mangoes, as well as Rose, Hog, Mary, Calabash, Doux doux, La Brea Gyul, Turpentine, and Graham – a graft of the Julie mango. Grafting demonstrations, mango and livestock tours, exhibitions, children’s activities, mango eating competitions and other entertainment rounded off the day. |
There is a well known folk song that starts with a clarion call, an ode to mangoes. The varying notes in which the word itself is sung is a testament to the absolute joy that eating a mango – of any variety – can bring.