Mukesh Ambani has expanded his business interests into agriculture after making significant strides in the oil, telecom, and retail sectors. Under his leadership, Reliance Industries has become the world's largest mango exporter. Back in 1997, the Jamnagar Refinery in Gujarat was facing severe pollution issues. To combat this, Reliance Industries came up with a unique solution: they converted the barren land around the refinery into a large mango orchard. This initiative aimed to reduce pollution and create a green belt around the refinery.
The orchard, named after Reliance's founder Dhirubhai Ambani, spans 600 acres and features about 1.3 lakh mango trees of over 200 different varieties.
To make this project successful, Reliance used modern techniques such as converting salty water into fresh water, water harvesting, drip irrigation, and advanced fertilisation methods.
Each year, the orchard produces around 600 tons of mangoes, including popular Indian varieties like Kesar, Alphonso, Ratna, Sindhu, Neelum, and Amrapali, as well as foreign varieties like Tommy Atkins, Kent, and Lily from Florida and Israel. This production has positioned Reliance as the largest mango exporter in Asia.
In addition to their mango business, Reliance also supports local farmers by distributing 100,000 mango saplings annually and providing training sessions on new agricultural techniques.
This initiative not only helps in reducing pollution but also contributes to the local economy and agricultural development.
