ORMAS Launches Mango Festival-2026 To Boost Farmers’ Market Access

Bhubaneswar: With mango season at its peak, the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) has launched Mango Festival-2026 across multiple locations in the state capital, creating a dedicated marketplace where consumers can buy fresh, naturally ripened mangoes directly from growers.

The festival, organised under the Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Department, was inaugurated on Monday by Rural Development, Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik at Sishu Vihar, Patia. The initiative aims to boost farmers’ incomes by eliminating intermediaries and providing direct access to urban markets.

Speaking at the inaugural programme, the Minister said Odisha is home to several high-quality mango varieties and the festival serves as an important platform to promote local produce while ensuring better returns for cultivators. He added that such initiatives help strengthen rural livelihoods and encourage sustainable agricultural marketing. 

This year, the festival is being organised at four locations in Bhubaneswar — Sishu Vihar at Patia, the State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD) campus, Sahid Nagar Durga Mandap and near Madhusudan Das Park at Pokhariput. Similar mango festivals are also underway in 18 districts across Odisha to expand market opportunities for growers.

To make mangoes more accessible to consumers, ORMAS has introduced two “Mango on Wheels” vehicles that will travel through different parts of Bhubaneswar and sell fresh produce along designated routes.

Visitors to the festival can choose from a wide range of mango varieties sourced from farmers in 16 districts. Popular varieties on display include Amrapali, Dasheri, Himsagar, Mallika, Lal Sundari, Totapuri, Bombay Green, Langra and Banganapalle.

Officials said the festival has been designed not only as a marketing platform but also as an initiative to promote awareness about naturally ripened fruits and support local agricultural producers.

Senior departmental officials, including ORMAS Additional Chief Executive Officer (Finance) Sanjeeb Kumar Singh, were present at the inauguration.

The festival will continue until June 10, providing residents an opportunity to purchase fresh mangoes while directly supporting farmers from across Odisha.