Want to eat Fresh Alphonso mangoes in December? You will have to shell out Rs 700-900 per kg

New Delhi: Would you like to eat Fresh Alphonso mangoes, and that too in the month of December? Well, if you are ready to spend a hefty amount, you can do so.

1400 cartons of fresh Alphonso mangoes have reached Navi Mumbai’s APMC Market. These mangoes have been supplied from East African country Malawi. These mangoes are selling for as expensive as Rs 700-Rs 900 per kg in the Mumbai wholesale market.

The king of mangoes --Alphonso --better known as 'Hapus' in Maharashtra, is in demand in domestic and international markets not only for its taste but also for pleasant fragrance and vibrant colour.

Malawi had planted mango plant spread over 1500 acres that it took from Mumbai’s Ratnagiri district. The same mangos have reached Mumbai markets.

Malawi current climate is similar to that of Konkan region. Hence, while the Alphonso mangoes will be available in December for consumption, experts believe that the taste of these mangoes are jus similar to the ones found in Konkan region.

Notably, Alphonso mango from Maharashtra's Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Palghar, Thane and Raigad districts got Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2018.

A GI is an indication used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

Such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to its origin in that defined geographical locality. Darjeeling Tea, Mahabaleshwar Strawberry, Blue Pottery of Jaipur, Banarasi Sarees and Tirupati Laddus are some of the GIs.

The first product to get a GI tag in India was the Darjeeling tea in 2004. There are a total of 325 products from India that carry this indication.