A sumptuous range of Pakistani mangoes were featured at a festival held in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah to boost Pakistan’s share of the mango market. The event, organized by the Pakistani consulate in Jeddah, treated guests to various tastes of famous varieties of mangoes including Sindhri, Chaunsa and Anwar Retaul.

Pakistan’s Consul-General Khalid Majid said that his country is the second biggest exporter of mangoes to Saudi Arabia and that the Pakistani varieties are widely popular in the Arab world.

Usually, the mango season in Pakistan starts from May and continues until late October, but the fruit deliveries to the Arab region were delayed until June due to restrictions prompted by the global coronavirus pandemic including a halt to international flights.

During the festival, mango-based delicacies were displayed including mango slices, mango ice cream, mango cake and mango mousse.

According to Saudi news portal Sabq, the number of attendees was limited due to local virus-related restrictions.

The participants appreciated what they called the “mango diplomacy” aimed at enhancing trade links between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the paper noted.

Pakistan has a large community in Saudi Arabia, estimated at between 1.25 to 1.5 million