The story
The Alphonso mango is said to be named after the Portuguese general Afonso de Albuquerque, and it spread along the Konkan coast where laterite soil, sea breeze and a dry spring suit it. Ratnagiri and Devgad (Sindhudurg) became the best-known growing areas, and the fruit is sent in wooden boxes to Mumbai's Vashi market and abroad. Fruit that cannot be sold fresh goes to pulp and canning units. In 2018 'Alphonso' was registered as a GI, merging the separate Ratnagiri and Devgad applications.
In numbers
The Mango Processing Cluster, Ratnagiri had 37 functional units, a turnover of Rs 40 crore and employment of 1,100; it was approved in principle by the Government of India on 19-07-2012.
Brief Industrial Profile of Ratnagiri District, MSME-DI (Ministry of MSME) · 2012Alphonso is a registered GI (Application No. 139, Certificate No. 324 dated 03-10-2018); the applications for Devgad Alphonso Mango and Ratnagiri Alphonso Mango were merged into it.
GI Registry (IP India) – Application No. 139, Alphonso · 2018
GI tag
- AlphonsoApplication no. GI Application No. 139, Certificate No. 324 (03-10-2018)GI Registry (IP India) – Application No. 139, Alphonso
Ways in for a newcomer
- Pulp processing and aseptic packing for juice and dairy companies
- Direct-to-home delivery of GI-tagged Alphonso with traceability
- Ripening chambers (ethylene) instead of calcium carbide
- Dried mango, aamras and mango bars for year-round sale
Problems the cluster faces
- Unseasonal rain and climate change cut yields
- Fake 'Alphonso' from other states sold in markets
- Short season and high post-harvest losses
- Export rules on fruit fly and residues
Businesses to start here
Mango Pulp Processing →Aam Papad (Mango Jelly) →Fruit and Vegetable Canning Unit (Mango Pulp, Curried Vegetables) →Mango Kernel Oil (Mango Butter) →Fruit Bars →