Although the mango season is yet to start in India, the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Vashi has received a total of 1,500 boxes of Malawi mangoes from Africa on Wednesday. This is the second year that Malawi mangoes have been imported because of its huge demand in the Indian market.
Traders at the wholesale market say that around 10 years ago, grafts from Alphonso trees from Ratnagiri were taken and planted in Malawi, with the rootstock of local mango available there over 1,500 acres. The first consignment of 1500 boxes arrived at the wholesale market of which 500 boxes were sent to Pune and the remaining are being sold in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
Sanjay Pansare, the fruit market director at APMC Vashi says that half of the consignment has already been sold. “There is a huge demand of Malawi mangoes as it tastes similar to Ratnagiri Hapus and available around three months before Ratnagiri mangoes arrive in the market,” Pansare told freepressjournal.in.