Mangoes are the national fruit and one of the most favourite fruits in India. They are popular, juicy, nutritious and everyone loves them. There are many varieties of mangoes available in India, each with its distinct taste, flavour, colour, shape, size and quality. There are more than 1500 varieties of mangoes available in India. Also, India is the largest producer and supplier of mangoes in the world, so it wouldn’t be wrong to say that India is the home to mangoes. Although it is not possible to mention all the 1500 different types of mangoes here in this post, we will list out some of the most popular varieties of mangoes in India. So, read on to find out the most famous types of mangoes in India, their time of cultivation, colour, taste, flavour and more.
Top Varieties of Mangoes Available in India
1. Alphonso (Hapus) – Maharashtra
Known as the king of mangoes, Alphonso is native to Maharashtra but it is also grown in some parts of Gujarat, Karnataka, and MP. It is bright golden yellow with a tint of red and is available from May to June. What makes Alphonso the best is its rich flavourful taste that is sweet with a creamy texture. It has a distinct taste, colour and shape. Alphonso has a voluptuous and oval shape and is 4-6 inches long. And not just in India, Alphonso is popular all around the world for its taste and juicy pulp.
2. Badami – Karnataka
If Alphonso is the king of mangoes, then Badami is the Alphonso of Karnataka. And in many ways, Badami is very similar to Alphonso. It is available from May to July in the Northern part of Karnataka. The Badami are the varieties of mangoes in India that have pale yellow and thin skin, its flesh is soft with yellow and orange colour. Badami is almost fibreless and this is what makes it truly special.
3. Kesar – Gujarat
Kesar, as its name suggests has saffron-colour pulp is available from June to July. It is grown and available in the Girnar mountains of Gujarat, Ahmedabad. It is one of the expensive varieties of mangoes in India and its name is taken from the spice “saffron”. Similar to all the other types of mangoes in India, Kesar’s skin is dull yellow with a green tinge. It has a roundish shape with a curved tip. Kesar tastes sweet but has a milder taste than Alphonso’s.
4. Banganapalli (Safedi) – Andhra Pradesh
The Banganapalli arrives in the market in April and stays till June. It has bright yellow colour skin and oval shape. Although it tastes slightly sour what makes it different from the other mangoes is that its skin is edible as well. These mangoes are sour in taste, so they are mostly used to make preservatives. The Banganapalli is another variety of mango available in Andhra Pradesh from a town called Banganapalle.
5. Dasheri – Uttar Pradesh
The Dasheri is one of the oldest varieties of mangoes in India and was grown first by the Nawabs of India. Dasheri is grown in Uttar Pradesh around June to July. It is yellowish-green in colour and is extremely sweet. Unlike the other varieties of mangoes, the Dasheri elongated in shape. It is fibreless and is usually used to make chutneys.
6. Chausa – Bihar
The Chausa is one of those varieties of mangoes that has its name written in history. Chausa is named after a town in Bihar with the same name because they are grown and available in that town. This is one of the types of mangoes in India which is seen at the end of the mango season and are available from July to August. Chausa is bright yellow and has an egg-like to oval shape making them easy to identify. On the taste side, the Chausa are extremely sweet and has a very sweet fragrance. It has fibrous flesh and juicy pulp. It is said that when Sher Shah Suri wanted to celebrate his victory over Humayun, he named his favourite mango Chausa after the town.
7. Mulgoba – Tamil Nadu
Mulgoba is one of the larger varieties of mangoes and it weighs around 300g – 500g. These are round and has a small and hard seed in the center. Mulgoba is one of the best mangoes in India. It has a sweet fragrance and it is very juicy to eat. This is one of the types of mangoes that has a blunt apex and has a smaller lateral beak than other mangoes. It is round and oblique in shape and is fiberless and soft on the exterior but has a rich, sweet and spicy taste.
8. Neelam – Tamil Nadu
The Neelam is available from May to July and is ovate oblique in shape. They have a sweet fragrance and are available throughout the season. The tastiest Neelam produce is during the monsoon season. These varieties of mangoes have a saffron yellow colour with a red tinge in colour. The Neelam tastes sweet as well as sour and they have an excellent keeping quality. Although they are smaller than most mangoes they are tastier.
9. Himsagar – West Bengal
The Himsagar has one of the shortest life spans among all the varieties of mangoes. They are usually available from May to June and they have an egg-like shape. On the taste side, the Himsagar are extremely sweet and are fibreless and fleshy. The Himsagar has a very sweet and brilliant aroma.
10. Langra – Bihar
The Langra are varieties of mangoes usually available in Bihar, UP, West Bengal but they were first grown in Varanasi. According to the stories, the farmer who grew the first Langra was lame, thus they got the name. They are available from Mid July to August and have an egg-like shape. The Langra are sweet, fibrous and contain a high level of natural sugar. Although they have a poor keeping quality but the Langra are varieties of mangoes that releases a very strong fragrance when ripe.
So, which one’s your favourite variety of mangoes?
