Pune: Indian consumers can now enjoy mangoes even during the October-December period, when these juicy fruits aren’t usually available locally.
Pune: Indian consumers can now enjoy mangoes even during the October-December period, when these juicy fruits aren’t usually available locally.
Malawi mangoes, which taste almost like Alphonso mangoes, will be imported from the African country starting this week to be sold here, said traders.
“Mangoes from Malawi will be available in Mumbai and Pune this week at about Rs1,500-1,800 a dozen, two months ahead of India’s mango season that begins in January,” said PN Khaire, a veteran fruit trader from Maharashtra.
While this is the off season for mangoes in India, insignificant quantities of local varieties are available in some markets, like the Ratnagiri Alphonsos that were sold at Rs 2,000 a dozen a few weeks ago in Mumbai. The Malawi mangoes will be available in bulk as about 150 tonnes are likely to be imported this year.
The variety of mangoes that will be imported will be 99% similar in taste to Indian Alphonso mangoes, sources at Malawi Mangoes said during an earlier interaction. Malawi Mangoes is a company promoted by African and British nationals and involved in the production and processing of bananas, pineapple and mangoes.
Traders had attempted to import mangoes from Malawi last year as well, but that didn’t happen in the absence of phytosanitary approvals. “Now, the two countries have signed a treaty to permit mango imports,” said Khaire.
Indian traders are upbeat about importing mangoes from the African nation as the two countries have different harvest windows. Indian mangoes are not available during October to December, when mangoes are harvested in Malawi. The arrival of Indian mangoes begins with those coming first from the Konkan coast of Maharashtra and Kerala. Beginning from South to North, the Indian season runs from January through August.
Malawi mangoes, which taste almost like Alphonso mangoes, will be imported from the African country starting this week to be sold here, said traders.
“Mangoes from Malawi will be available in Mumbai and Pune this week at about Rs1,500-1,800 a dozen, two months ahead of India’s mango season that begins in January,” said PN Khaire, a veteran fruit trader from Maharashtra.
While this is the off season for mangoes in India, insignificant quantities of local varieties are available in some markets, like the Ratnagiri Alphonsos that were sold at Rs 2,000 a dozen a few weeks ago in Mumbai. The Malawi mangoes will be available in bulk as about 150 tonnes are likely to be imported this year.
The variety of mangoes that will be imported will be 99% similar in taste to Indian Alphonso mangoes, sources at Malawi Mangoes said during an earlier interaction. Malawi Mangoes is a company promoted by African and British nationals and involved in the production and processing of bananas, pineapple and mangoes.
Traders had attempted to import mangoes from Malawi last year as well, but that didn’t happen in the absence of phytosanitary approvals. “Now, the two countries have signed a treaty to permit mango imports,” said Khaire.
Indian traders are upbeat about importing mangoes from the African nation as the two countries have different harvest windows. Indian mangoes are not available during October to December, when mangoes are harvested in Malawi. The arrival of Indian mangoes begins with those coming first from the Konkan coast of Maharashtra and Kerala. Beginning from South to North, the Indian season runs from January through August.