Basic HTML Version

|  | Table of Contents |  | View Full Version

Page 28 - The Indian EYE 052926
P. 28

    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                                   MAY 29, 2026     |  The Indian Eye 28

            Mango Diplomacy blooms in Seattle

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            the Consulate last year played a key
                                                                                                                  role in familiarising Seattle residents,
            Seattle, WA
                                                                                                                  distributors and retailers with premi-
                  he sweet taste of India’s king                                                                  um Indian mango varieties known
                  of  fruits,  the  mango,  is  final-                                                            for their flavour, aroma and texture.
            Tly making its way to Seattle                                                                             The four showcased varieties --
            shelves in the US, with the Kesar vari-                                                               Dasheri, Chausa, Kesar and Langra
            ant of the prized fruit arriving across                                                               --  are  among  India’s  most  popular
            Indian grocery stores and major re-                                                                   mangoes and are widely consumed
            tail outlets in the region ahead of the                                                               during the country’s summer season.
            city’s first sunny summer weekend.                                                                        “We  actually  hosted  a  very  big
                In a significant cultural and com-                                                                mango promotion event last year in
            mercial moment being celebrated                                                                       Seattle at the Consulate. Got four va-
            as “mango diplomacy,” the Consul-                                                                     rieties of mangoes: Dasheri, Chausa,
            ate General of India in Seattle an-                                                                   Kesar and Langra. And had them be
            nounced the arrival of Indian man-                                                                    tasted by Seattle people, including
            goes through a special feature on                                                                     most of the distributors here. Sub-
            Fox 13 News’ popular morning pro-                                                                     sequently, we worked with a lot of
            gramme “Good Day Seattle.”                                                                            local groceries, deliveries, and big
                “As a prelude to the arrival of                                                                   US retailers to see if they could also
            mangoes from India in Seattle stores                                                                  get them tasted here by local people.
            this weekend, Fox 13 News featured                                                                    And I am very happy to say that after
            a special segment on their morning                                                                    one year of efforts, we are now going
            show, ‘Good Day Seattle’,” the Con-                                                                   to have all kinds of Indian mangoes,
            sulate General of India, Seattle, said                                                                beginning with Kesar, in Seattle be-
            in a post on X.                                                                                       ginning this weekend,” Gupta stated.
                During  the  segment,  Fox  13                                                                        The Consul General further
            News introduced viewers to the sto-                                                                   confirmed that the mangoes are ex-
            ry behind India’s iconic mango va-                                                                    pected to be available not only in In-
            rieties and their growing popularity                                                                  dian grocery stores but also at major
            in the United States, describing the                                                                  retail chains across the Greater Seat-
            development as both a culinary cel-                                                                   tle region.
            ebration  and  a  symbol  of  India-US                                                                    “We believe these are already
            cultural ties.                                                                                        in some of the local Indian grocery
                Consul General of India in Se-                                                                    stores. The bigger ones, like Costco
            attle Prakash Gupta highlighted the                                                                   outlets in Seattle, Kirkland, Red-
            emotional  and  cultural  significance                                                                mond and the Greater Seattle area,
            attached to mangoes in India during                                                                   are likely to have it by the end of
            the segment, while also recalling the                                                                 this weekend. So, Sunday onwards,
            historic journey of Indian mangoes                                                                    please; you can stop by Costco and
            into the American market.                                                                             pick it up or go to an Indian grocery
                “When  they  (mangoes)  first                                                                     store and pick it up,” he added.
            came into the US in 2007, I believe                                                                       The arrival of Indian mangoes in
            the New York Times called them the                                                                    Seattle marks another chapter in the
            most eagerly anticipated fruit de-                                                                    growing cultural connection between
            livery ever. So that’s what it meant   with this fruit. Families bond over   dent George W. Bush during his 2006   India and the United States, with the
            then. We are very happy to showcase   mangoes. That’s why they are so spe-  visit to India.           fruit often serving as a soft-power
            them in Seattle. Indian mangoes   cial to us. And really, we are happy   “In 2006, I remember President   symbol of nostalgia, tradition, and
            are special for a variety of reasons,”   to bring it to Seattle because just like   George W. Bush when he visited In-  people-to-people ties.
            Gupta said.                       Seattleites await the first sunny sum-  dia; he tasted an Alphonso mango in   From Alphonso to Kesar, Dash-
                The Consul General highlight-  mer weekend, we were eagerly await-  India and told our then Prime Minis-  eri to Langra, India’s famed mango
            ed the deep emotional and cultural   ing these mangoes here in Seattle,”   ter, ‘What a hell of a fruit.’ It started   varieties continue to generate excite-
            significance  mangoes  hold  for  Indi-  he added.                  that wave of mangoes coming into   ment among the Indian diaspora and
            an families, calling them a symbol of   The  segment  further  explored   the US,” he remarked.       American consumers alike, turning
            summer memories, togetherness and   the concept of “mango diplomacy”,   Gupta also spoke about how the   what was once a seasonal delicacy
            nostalgia.                        referring to the diplomatic and trade   sustained efforts over the past year,   into a diplomatic success story that
                He noted that Indian mangoes are   efforts that helped Indian mangoes   including large-scale promotional   bridges cultures through taste and
            much more than just a seasonal fruit   gain access to American consumers   events and collaborations with re-  tradition.
            for millions of people across India.  over the years.               tailers and distributors, have helped   India is the world’s leading man-
                “First, they mean very different-  Speaking on the diplomatic his-  pave the way for Indian mangoes to   go producer, cultivating between 20
            ly to Indian people. It typically rep-  tory behind the fruit’s entry into the   officially reach consumers across Se-  and 26 million tonnes every year and
            resents the onset of summer, and our   US market, Gupta recalled a notable   attle beginning this weekend.  accounting for almost 50 per cent of
            growing-up memories are associated   moment involving former US Presi-  A promotional event hosted by   global mango production.

                                                                   www.TheIndianEYE.com

| 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 |