rki.news
MULTAN: The three-day Mango & Dates Festival 2026, organized by Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture Multan, concluded successfully on Sunday, bringing together growers, exporters, commercial diplomats, researchers, students, food businesses, industry representatives and the general public on a common platform to promote Pakistan’s mango and date sectors.
The final day featured a range of activities including an international policy dialogue, agribusiness networking, value addition showcases, innovative food product displays, family entertainment events and an awards ceremony, highlighting the festival’s growing importance as a national and international platform for horticultural development.
The flagship event was a high-level dialogue titled “From Farm to Global Market: Value Chain Transformation and Agribusiness Opportunities in Mango and Dates,” jointly organized by the Pakistan Horticulture Development & Export Company (PHDEC) and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture, Multan.
The session was chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Asif Ali (T.I.), while Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan (H.I., S.I.), Chairman Punjab Higher Education Commission, attended as chief guest. The dialogue brought together PHDEC CEO Athar Hussain Khokhar, Khawar Nadeem, representatives of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, and over 50 growers, exporters, processors, researchers and agribusiness professionals.
Trade and investment officers and commercial representatives from Iran, China, Australia and other markets also participated, sharing insights on global demand trends and export opportunities. Speakers stressed compliance with international quality standards, phytosanitary requirements, food safety protocols, traceability systems and hot water treatment as key to sustainable market access.
Participants highlighted strong demand in Iran for late-season mango varieties, niche opportunities in China for low-Brix mango cultivars, and emerging export potential for dried dates in Tajikistan. The discussion also focused on post-harvest management, value chain strengthening, food processing and export competitiveness. Former Federal Minister Hussain Jahanian Gardezi also attended.
A major attraction was the Mango & Dates Dish Competition, where hotels, food brands and educational institutions presented innovative products. Bar B.Q. Tonight showcased 20 dishes, Khwaja Fareed University presented eight products, Avari Xpress featured 15 dishes, Mithaas by Aangan presented 15 desserts including Mango Passion Pavlova, the College of Tourism and Hotel Management offered 20 entries, and Best Western Hotel displayed 11 items. MNS-UAM faculty and students also showcased a wide range of value-added food products.
Family entertainment activities included ramp walk, mango eating and cutting competitions, musical chairs, spoon walk and glass tower challenges, drawing strong public participation.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Asif Ali thanked all stakeholders for their support, while Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan praised the initiative and emphasized stronger collaboration between researchers, growers and industry to improve productivity and quality of Pakistani mangoes.
The festival concluded with a prize distribution ceremony, where winners of competitions and participating institutions received awards and commemorative shields. The event ended with a shared commitment to strengthening Pakistan’s global position in mango and date exports through research, innovation and value addition.