Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Mango season is upon us and connoisseurs of the fruit can rejoice, as the maximum weight of Noorjahan variety, which is cultivated in Madhya Pradesh, may cross 4 kg per fruit and will cost anywhere between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 apiece.
A special variety of mango, Noorjahan originated in Afghanistan and only a few trees are found in the tribal-dominated Alirajpur district's Katthiwada area, situated close to neighbouring Gujarat.
"This year, at least 250 mangoes are growing in three trees of the Noorjahan variety. These fruits will be ready for sale by June 15 and the maximum weight of each mango may cross 4 kg," a grower of this variety, Shivraj Singh Jadhav told PTI from Katthiwada, located 250 km away from Indore.
Last year, the average weight of this mango was about 3.80 kg per fruit. However, due to a change in the weather conditions this year, many flowers on these trees got damaged and fell, he said.
Jadhav said that he is planning to sell these mangoes for anywhere between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 per fruit, while last year it was sold between Rs 500 and Rs 1,500.
Connoisseurs of the variety are calling to book the fruits in advance, but it will take at least one-and-a-half months for the mangoes to be ready for sale, he said, adding that due to the unpredictable weather and fear of storm-rains, bookings for large quantities are not being taken.
According to horticulture experts, flowering in Noorjahan mango trees typically starts around January-February and the fruit is ready for sale in the first fortnight of June.
The length of this heavy-weight mango is about a foot, while its seed weighs around 150 to 200 gm.
