Kolkata: The fifth edition of Ahare Bangla, a food festival celebrating Bengal, kicked off at Central Park in Bidhannagar on Tuesday. "The event is conceived and promoted to offer a platform for the unique and exotic agricultural produces that our farmers grow or have introduced in their farms of late. The objective is to popularise these food ingredients so that they find a way to the daily platter of Bengalis. The opportunity is also utilised to recall some of the lost Bengali recipes," said Swapan Debnath, minister of the Animal Resources Development department. Apart from Debnath, state Food and Supplies minister Jyotipriya Mallick and state Technical Education minister Purnendu Basu were present at the inaugural programme as well. Cuisines from China, Japan and Russia will also be available at Ahare Bangla this year, whereas pantua manufactured by Mother Dairy was launched on Tuesday. Ahare Bangla-2019 has 152 stalls covering 46 renowned restaurateurs/caterers with celebrity chefs, seven state government departments and 32 sweet/dessert shops. 36 stalls have been set up to sell raw food, food ingredients and ready-to-eat food by the state government or its promoted organisations in Ahare Biki Kini (Exhibition-cum-sale Hanger).

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