Mango Alphonso, called Hapus in Maharashtra, is a Konkan variety known for saffron-gold pulp, strong aroma and low fibre. The GI-tagged fruit comes from Ratnagiri, Devgad and nearby districts. It is harvested about February to June, best from March to May.
If you are looking at pictures of Alphonso and wondering what sets Alphonso apart from other mangoes, this page is the plain answer. It covers what the fruit is, how it should look, taste and smell, what the GI tag means, how Ratnagiri and Devgad differ, and how to ripen and store it.
What mango Alphonso is
Alphonso (also spelled Alfonso) is a mango variety grown mainly on the Konkan coast of Maharashtra. Konkan is a stretch of the western coast of India between the Arabian Sea and the Deccan Plateau; Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg are among its districts. In Marathi it is Hapus, and in much of north India people call it Hapus aam or simply Alphonso. The fruit is oval, medium in size and usually sold by the dozen. A dozen from us weighs roughly 1.8 to 3.3 kg depending on grade.
It is prized for three things: a rich, honeyed sweetness with a slight tang, a strong fragrance, and soft flesh with very little fibre. Those traits make it the first choice for eating fresh, for aamras and for desserts. Alphonso fruits generally weigh 150 to 300 g.
The name and a short history
The variety is widely said to be named after Afonso de Albuquerque, the Portuguese commander who took Goa in the early sixteenth century. The Portuguese are credited with spreading grafting of mango in Goa, and Alphonso is believed to come from that tradition. From Goa the variety spread north along the coast into Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, where it became a main commercial crop.
Local growers, not the Portuguese, built its reputation over generations. The red laterite soil of the Konkan and the sea air along the coast are the usual reasons given for why the fruit does best there. Those conditions are hard to copy, which is why grafts planted elsewhere are often said to taste different.
What a good Alphonso looks, smells and tastes like
- Colour: golden yellow when ripe, often with a reddish blush near the shoulder. Fruit that is hard and has no fragrance at the stem end is not ready.
- Skin: thin and smooth. It yields slightly to a gentle press.
- Aroma: sweet and floral at the stem end. A ripe fruit can often be smelled before it is cut.
- Flesh: deep saffron-orange, soft and low in fibre, with a thin flat stone.
- Taste: sweet first, with a faint tang at the finish. Ripe Alphonso is often reported at about 18 to 24 Brix, which measures dissolved sugars and other solids.
Photos can mislead because colour varies with light and with how long the fruit has ripened. The smell and the soft give of the fruit tell you more than a picture does.
The GI tag on Alphonso
Alphonso (Hapus) from the Konkan carries a Geographical Indication, GI No. 139. A GI tells you the name is tied to a place, and only authorised users may sell fruit under that GI claim. Our credential is the GI Authorised User certificate AU/5974/GI/139/260 (GI No. 139), and we list the details on our brand facts page.
The tag says where the fruit comes from. It does not say how ripe a particular box is, so you still need to look at grade, count and how the seller ripens the fruit. Ask any seller for their certificate number before you pay.
Ratnagiri vs Devgad Alphonso
Both are the same variety, Alphonso, grown on the same coast. Ratnagiri is a district, and Devgad is a taluka in Sindhudurg district. We source from 48 villages across that belt. Orchards, soil and microclimate differ from village to village, so the fruit varies a little, but we do not rank one origin above the other. Choose by availability and what you want in a box.
| Point | Ratnagiri Alphonso | Devgad Alphonso |
|---|---|---|
| Variety | Alphonso (Hapus) | Alphonso (Hapus) |
| Where it grows | Ratnagiri district | Devgad taluka, Sindhudurg |
| GI | GI No. 139 | GI No. 139 |
| Sold by | The dozen, by grade | The dozen, by grade |
| Where to order | Ratnagiri Alphonso | Devgad Alphonso |
Season, harvest and weight
Alphonso is harvested about February to June, with the best supply from March to May. We harvest at Brahma Muhurta, before sunrise. Our fruit is hand-harvested with a zela pole fitted with a catching net. Outside the season we do not sell fresh Alphonso. The 2027 season opens on 1 February 2027. Alphonso pulp tins are available all year.
Why is Alphonso expensive? A short window, a limited growing belt, careful grading and slow natural ripening all raise the cost. Our prices are "from" prices, starting at Rs 1,849 per dozen and rising with grade and size. Check the product page for the current price.
Ripening and storage
We do not use carbide. Our Alphonso mangoes are ripened naturally on hay beds. Fruit can need a day or two at room temperature to finish softening, so check it daily. Harvest to ripening of Alphonso is about 15 days.
- Keep the fruit at room temperature, out of direct sun, in a single layer or on a bed of paper.
- Check daily. Ripe fruit smells sweet and gives slightly under a thumb.
- Move ripe fruit to the fridge to slow it down, and eat it within a few days.
- Do not refrigerate hard, unripe fruit, because cold slows ripening.
- Cut pieces or pulp can be frozen in airtight containers.
Ways to eat Alphonso
Most people eat it chilled and sliced, or scoop the pulp straight from the skin. The classic Maharashtrian preparation is aamras, pulp lightly blended and served with puri or chapati. Amrakhand mixes pulp into strained curd, and the pulp also works in kulfi, lassi and milkshakes. Because the flesh is low in fibre, it blends smoothly without sieving.
Ripe mango is sweet, so portion size matters. If you have diabetes, ask your doctor or dietitian about portions.
Buying a dozen
We are AlphonsoMango.in, run by Powle Home Foods in Mumbai. First sales were offline in 2019 and online since 2020, and we have served 47,000+ customers, including offline and marketplace sales. We are an FSSAI-licensed seller, and we ship with Blue Dart. About 65% of Indian PIN codes get next-day delivery, so check your PIN code at checkout.
Start with Ratnagiri Alphonso or Devgad Alphonso, or use the order-online page for every size, or browse the mango collection. Outside the season, look at Alphonso mango pulp tins.
People also ask
Which part of India is Alphonso mango from?
Alphonso mango is grown mainly on the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, around Ratnagiri and Devgad in Sindhudurg district, with GI No. 139 tied to that region. The GI-tagged Hapus comes from the Konkan. We source from 48 villages in the Ratnagiri and Devgad belt.
Are Alphonso and Hapus the same mango?
Yes. Hapus is the Marathi name for Alphonso, and people also write it as Hapoos or Alfonso. Ratnagiri Hapus and Devgad Hapus are the same variety grown in different places on the Konkan coast. When a seller says Hapus aam, they mean Alphonso, so check where it was grown and ask for the GI certificate number.
Why is Alphonso mango so expensive?
The harvest window is short, the growing belt is small, and fruit is graded by size and ripened slowly and naturally on hay beds. Weather can reduce the crop in a bad year. Natural ripening on hay beds takes time and labour. Larger grades cost more because each dozen weighs more, so compare grade and weight, not only price.
Is it Alfonso or Alphonso?
Both spellings appear. Alphonso is the common English spelling. Alfonso is the Spanish form of the name, and the Portuguese form is Afonso. The mango is named after the Portuguese commander Afonso de Albuquerque. Searches for alfonso mango and alphonso mango both lead to the same fruit.
Related searches
- Buy mango Alphonso online
- Ratnagiri Alphonso mango
- Devgad Alphonso mango
- Alphonso mango pulp
- Alphonso mango GI tag details
- Picture of Alphonso mango: how to judge ripeness
- All mangoes online
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia, Alphonso mango, accessed October 2026.
- GI Registry public search, Application 379, Devgad Alphonso Mango (merged with application 139), accessed October 2026.
- Wikipedia, Konkan, accessed October 2026.
Written by Prashant Powle, founder of AlphonsoMango.in. Last reviewed October 2026.