Malawi mangoes enter Navi Mumbai’s APMC market from Africa

Malawi mangoes, known to be replicas to Devgad Alphonso, entered the Navi Mumbai APMC market on Friday; ever since the Malawi mangoes started getting imported from Africa, for the first time, the rates have reached as high as ₹1,200 to ₹1,500 per kg

Malawi mangoes, known to be replicas to Devgad Alphonso, entered the APMC market on Friday. Ever since the Malawi mangoes started getting imported from Africa, for the first time, the rates have reached as high as ₹1,200 to ₹1,500 per kg.

Sanjay Pansare, director of fruit market in APMC, with the Malawi mangoes in Navi Mumbai on Friday. The mangoes have been imported from Africa. (BACHCHAN KUMAR/HT PHOTO)

“A total of 270 boxes arrived on Friday and over the period of a month, around 40 tons of mangoes are expected to reach us. The increase in petrol charges, air freight, import duty and other taxes have led to the increase in the price,” Sanjay Pansare, director of fruit market in APMC, said.

Besides, the increasing demand in the UK, the Gulf and Malaysia has also led to increase in price, Pansare added.

Each box consisting of 3kg mangoes were sold from ₹3,600 to ₹4,500 per box. “Within hours, all the boxes were sold and the buyers were retailers from Colaba, Cuffe Parade and Crawford. From next week, the shipment is expected to be twice a week. As the supply will increase, it will be sold to Ahmednagar, Surat, Balgaum and other places too, wherever Devgad mangoes are in demand,” he added.

Around 11 years back, a few Alphonso mango sticks were sent to Malawi in Africa from Ratnagiri. They were grafted and planted across a 26-acre farm, which is now a 600ha farm. These mangoes started being imported to India in 2018. In 2018, 40 tons of mangoes had reached APMC, which then cost ₹1,500 per 3kg box. In 2019, around 70 tons of mangoes reached and in 2020, due to Covid, only 15 tons could be imported at ₹2,500- ₹3,000 per box.

The Indian mangoes are not available in October-December, when mangoes are harvested in Malawi. Hence, there is no clash between both the seasons. Indian Aphonsos arrive from January through August from various parts of South and Konkan belt of Maharashtra. This year, Malawis are expected to be in the market till December 15.