3 months before the Mango season in India, Mumbai’s retail shops are enjoying Alphonso Mangoes. Available in Maharashtra’s capital, the mangoes are from a 600 hectare farm that supplies around 700 boxes a day, as retailers love the quality of the mangoes, according to Sanjay Pansare, a trader in the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) fruit market.   

The availability of the mangoes before their season in India, may see the country having mangoes twice a year. “Indian Mangoes are not available during October – December but mangoes harvested in Malawi, in that period.” said Pansare.

The supply is a result of an initiative by Malawi Mangoes. In April this year, the Malawi Mangoes has announced plans to penetrate the European market, a development which will be achieved by Farm Income Diversification Programme II.

Farm Income Diversification Programme II is an initiative by Malawi Mangoes, implementing 11 orchards which are four hectares each, managed by community members and expected to produce 880 tonnes of mangoes per year once they start bearing fruits in two to three years time.