Checkmate: How Kesar, 'queen of mangoes', trumped

In FY25 , India exported 40% more Kesar mangoes — worth $11.5 million — than $8.6 million worth of Alphonso. In FY22, Alphonso outsold Kesar by nearly 50 percent

Alphonso, long hailed as the king among hundreds of varieties of mangoes found in India, has lost its crown as the country’s biggest mango export in the past two years, a Moneycontrol analysis shows. The prized mango variety from Maharashtra has seen a 15 percent decline in exports — from $10.12 million in FY22 to $8.56 million in FY25. The Kesar variety, grown primarily in Gujarat, has seen a 65.7 percent increase during the period, staging a coup of sorts.

Kesar traces its origin to the Gir region and is often referred to as “queen of mangoes” for its sweet, rich flavour and fragrance. In FY25 , India exported 40 percent more Kesar mangoes — worth $11.5 million — than Alphonso, which clocked $8.6 million in exports. In FY22, Alphonso outsold Kesar by nearly 50 percent. In FY21, Alphonso exports were more than double those of Kesar.

The UAE, which was the top importer of Alphonso with a 30 percent share of India’s exports in FY22, has seen a 68 percent decline, with its share falling to 11 percent. The US has since emerged as the top market, accounting for a third of Alphonso exports. Qatar is emerging as a significant importer of Indian mangoes. “We have started exporting varieties from UP, like Dusseheri, to Doha,” said Ali, who is based in Malihabad. The Malihabadi Dusseheri has had a GI tag since 2009.

The expansion in trade beyond just Alphonso and Kesar is evident from the export data as well. Dusseheri exports rose to $0.35 million in FY25 from $0.17 million in the previous year and 218 percent from FY22. Andhra Pradesh’s Banganapalli variety saw a 44 percent rise in exports to $4.35 million over the past four years. Totapari, another indigenous variety, recorded a 112 percent jump to $0.36 million.

Ali said India may soon return to its pre-Covid levels of mango exports — provided the weather cooperates. While the US has resumed importing Indian mangoes, heatwaves have been a major disruptor. “Heatwaves this year have led farmers to sell mangoes at half the price. The fruit has also started ripening early. Earlier, the peak season was around June 20–25 but this year mangoes ripened by June 8–12,” Ali said.

Beyond fresh mangoes

India’s fresh mango exports, though recovering from pandemic lows, have yet to return to pre-Covid levels. The country exported $48 million worth of mangoes in FY25 compared to $57 million in FY20 and $60 million in FY19. The processed mango products segment, however, has seen a substantial growth. Mango juice exports rose to $6.6 million in FY25 from $3.8 million in FY24 and surpassed the $3.66 million average during FY18–FY20. Mango squash exports hit $18.2 million — 2.5 times the pre-pandemic average of $6.7 million.

News Courtesy: Moneycontrol

In FY25 , India exported 40% more Kesar mangoes — worth $11.5 million — than $8.6 million worth of Alphonso. In FY22, Alphonso outsold Kesar by nearly 50 percent

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