Navi Mumbai: Alphonso mangoes from southeast Africa at APMC

Navi Mumbai: The first consignment of 800 boxes of Malawi mangoes from Africa will arrive at the fruits market of the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Vashi today. This is the fourth year when the Malawi mangoes have been imported by Indian traders. They have a huge demand in the Indian market and taste similar to the Ratnagiri Hapus (Alphonso).

Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa, between Zambia and Tanzania. Of the first consignment, some boxes are likely to be sent to Pune while the remainder will be sold in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

APMC traders say around 10 years ago, grafts from Alphonso trees from Ratnagiri were taken and planted over 1,500 acres in Malawi, with the rootstock of local mangoes available there. “The climate and soil of Malavi are suitable for mangoes and there is a good yield of Alphonso there,” APMC Vashi fruits market director Sanjay Pansare said.

Since mangoes from Malawi are available around four months before the season for mangoes starts in Maharashtra, and their taste is similar to the local Alphonso, there is a huge demand among buyers.

The Malawi mango is being imported by Annora Imports and Exports. A box has around 3kg of mangoes and it is being sold between Rs1200-1500 per kg. “In retail, the cost of each box will be around Rs3600-5000, depending upon the size of the mangoes,” said Mr Pansare.

Mr Pansare informed that Malawi mangoes have a season from mid-October to mid-December, unlike the Indian variety which has its season from February to August. “This is also one of the reasons that this imported variety has a huge demand, because of its availability before time and similarity in taste,” he said.

Devgad Alphonso arrives two months ahead

The first batch of Alphonso mango from Devgad arrived at the wholesale fruits market on Friday. Farmers Prashant Shinde and Devesh Shinde from Kakwan village in Devgad brought the first batch of two dozen Alphonso mangoes. Trader Ashok Hande said that mangoes arrived two months before the actual time of arrival. The two dozen were sold at Rs 9000.