There were 132 orange growers who participated in the festival. The ones adjudged to be having the best quality oranges were given awards. Organised about 174 kilometres from Imphal, the festival’s theme was ''Orange for beauty, health and prosperity''. It aimed to promote tourism and provide an opportunity to orange farmers to display their produce before potential buyers.
Besides, adding an extra flavour to the festival, a beauty contest was also organized.
The festival encourages villagers to grow oranges. There is a hope that in the next 10-20 years, with God’s blessings, they will be supplying oranges all over Manipur, India and even in the International market. Through Orange festival, oranges are promoted and the world comes to know that there are oranges in Tamenglong.
Orange cultivation has provided a boost to Manipur’s economy. The State enjoys advantage of favorable climatic conditions beneficial for the growth of horticulture crops, which has encouraged the cultivation of oranges in a major way. And, organization of the Orange festival is one such step in this direction.
Besides, adding an extra flavour to the festival, a beauty contest was also organized which saw participation of 27 individuals here. It needs to be mentioned that fashion-cum- Beauty pageant has become an indispensable part of the orange festival over the years.
Around 3,838 hectares of land is under orange cultivation in Manipur. But Tamenglong alone contributes over 50 per cent of state’s annual total orange production of nearly 10,000 to 11,000 metric tonnes.
