Abu dhabi: The fifth Khorfakkan Mango Festival concluded on Sunday at Expo Khorfakkan after a three-day celebration of one of the UAE's most valued seasonal fruits. Organised by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) in cooperation with the Municipal Council of Khorfakkan, Khorfakkan City Municipality and Expo Khorfakkan, the festival ran from 26th to 28th June under the theme "Mango: Our Fruit, Our Wealth".
According to Emirates News Agency, the event attracted more than 40,000 visitors from the UAE and abroad, bringing together 55 farmers, leading agriculture and fertilisation companies and productive families from across the UAE. Delegations from Oman, Qatar and Kuwait, as well as participants from Uganda, also took part, generating strong commercial activity. To accommodate increased participation, the festival expanded its exhibition infrastructure by 70 percent, providing additional display space for visitors.
The festival featured five competitions with cash prizes to encourage excellence in local agricultural production, including the Mango Mazayna (Most Beautiful Mango) Competition, the Largest Mango Competition, the Best Mango Basket Competition for families, the Mango Beauty Competition for children, and the newly introduced Best Innovative Idea or Mango-Based Project Competition, designed to encourage agricultural entrepreneurship and value-added food industries.
Khalil Al-Mansouri stated that SCCI remains committed to strengthening the festival's role as a strategic platform that expands market access for Emirati farmers and creates wider commercial opportunities. He emphasized the Chamber's aim to transform the festival's seasonal success into sustainable year-round growth by stimulating innovation, improving product quality and strengthening direct links between farmers and consumers.
Mohammed Al Darmaki highlighted the festival as a key driver of commercial and tourism activity in Khorfakkan and the Eastern Region, attracting thousands of visitors from across the UAE. He noted that Khorfakkan's agricultural strengths, combined with its coastal and mountainous landscape, have enhanced the festival's appeal and demonstrated the successful integration of agriculture, tourism and trade. He added that the festival continues to strengthen Khorfakkan's position as a leading agricultural and tourism destination while creating new investment opportunities in support of Sharjah's economic diversification.
The exhibition showcased more than 150 varieties of locally grown mangoes, alongside citrus fruits, bananas and other seasonal produce from the Eastern Region and across the UAE. It also featured innovative mango-based processed products, highlighting the advanced capabilities of Emirati farmers and their commitment to sustainable agricultural practices. Productive families presented a range of food products, including the UAE's first mango-and-honey product, mango biscuits, juices, homemade pickles, perfumes and handcrafted products inspired by mangoes and citrus fruits, reinforcing the festival's role in supporting entrepreneurship and innovation.
Participants from the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Uganda praised the festival's organisation and the opportunities it created for exchanging expertise in mango cultivation, improving production efficiency and developing value-added food industries. Many expressed interest in expanding their participation and establishing future partnerships.
Supported by Al Sharqiya Kalba TV as the official media partner, the festival also featured Emirati folk performances, agricultural workshops organised in cooperation with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and the Sharjah Department of Agriculture and Livestock, daily prize draws, family activities and educational programmes for children. The festival concluded by honouring competition winners, strategic partners and sponsors in recognition of their contribution to its success. Visitors were also able to purchase premium mangoes, mango seedlings and other agricultural plants directly from producers, while Emirati farmers benefited from free exhibition stands to market their produce and support home-based agricultural initiatives.