This story is from November 15, 2019

Pune: Bite into Malawi mangoes to beat the winter chill

Mango lovers can now taste the king of fruits in the winter months too. Pune’s Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) market recently got its first consignment of Malawi mangoes from Africa for this season.
Pune: Bite into Malawi mangoes to beat the winter chill
Malawi mangoes from South Africa now available in Pune market
PUNE: Mango lovers can now taste the king of fruits in the winter months too. Pune’s Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) market recently got its first consignment of Malawi mangoes from Africa for this season.
The Malawi mangoes taste nearly the same as the Alphonsos from Ratnagiri. They look similar too.
This is the second winter when Malawi mangoes have arrived in the city, said sources.
Consumers can buy a box of these mangoes at a wholesale price of Rs1,600 — Rs1,800 and retail price of Rs2,500-Rs3,000.
Nathsaheb Khaire, mangoes and fruit commission agent in Gultekdi Market Yard, said that he has already received around 800 boxes of Malawi mangoes and expects to get another 800 boxes on Friday. “These mangoes seem a little pricey but they come all the way from Malawi, a landlocked country in Africa without access to sea or its own airline. So, these mangoes come via an international airline with higher freight charges,” said Khaire.
He added that Malawi mangoes have the same taste and fragrance as Ratnagiri’s Alphonsos because the growers from Malawi took close to 40,000 Alphonso grafts from Dapoli in 2013 to be planted in their country. “We have sent these mangoes to markets in Gujarat, Saurashtra, Bangalore and Kolhapur,” he added.
An APMC official said that only one trader in Pune and another in Mumbai get these mangoes. “They are later sent to other markets outside Maharashtra and distributors or retailers in the state,” he said.
Khaire said that each box contains 12, 14 or 16 mangoes depending on the size of the fruits and the boxes are priced accordingly.
A fruit retailer in Deccan, who is selling the mangoes, said, “I got them on Wednesday. They are still slightly green in appearance and will ripen in four to five days. A niche set of customers like to buy these mangoes. These customers also bought them last year. I have already started making calls to the customers to inform them that the first lot of this season has arrived.”
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About the Author
Neha Madaan

Neha Madaan is a senior feature writer at The Times of India, Pune. She holds an M A degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from University of Pune. She covers tourism, heritage development and its conservation, apart from an array of subjects such as civic issues, environment, astronomy, civic school education as well as social issues concerning persons with disabilities. Her interests include metaphysical research and animal rights.

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