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PM Narendra Modi promises to transform Malda’s mango sector
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Monday, 19 January, 2026, 12 : 00 PM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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In a major political address in Malda, West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power in the state, it will revolutionize the local mango economy by strengthening cold storage facilities and scaling up food processing industries to create economic opportunities and reduce post-harvest losses.
Modi highlighted Malda’s longstanding reputation as one of India’s premier mango-producing regions, noting that the fruit’s seasonal nature often leads to wastage and lost income for farmers. To address this, he promised that a BJP government would support the installation of modern cold chain systems and value-addition units, enabling mangoes to be processed into products like pulp, jams, pickles and juices. This approach is expected to generate employment, particularly for youth and women entrepreneurs, while increasing farmers’ earnings by securing markets beyond the short harvesting window.
The Prime Minister also positioned these economic measures within a broader narrative of development and governance change in West Bengal, tying infrastructure upgrades and industrial growth to improving livelihoods in districts like Malda and neighbouring regions. He framed the push for enhanced food processing and storage capacity as part of a larger vision to integrate agricultural value chains, reduce dependency on seasonal sales, and support “Make in India”-style manufacturing right at the source of production.
Experts and industry advocates say that expanding cold storage and processing facilities is critical for reducing fruit spoilage and increasing the competitiveness of India’s horticultural exports. Such initiatives align with national policies that incentivize post-harvest infrastructure development and value addition including schemes that offer funding for cold chains and processing units to boost farm incomes and strengthen rural economies nationwide.
By focusing on Malda’s mango value chain, the BJP aims to blend agricultural policy with local economic transformation, tapping into one of Bengal’s signature products to support broader growth and investment.
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