The Alphonso (Hapus) GI tag is a Geographical Indication registered in India that protects the use of the Hapus name for fruit from the notified area. It tells you about origin and the right to use the name. It does not guarantee taste, size or how the fruit was ripened. The record can be checked on the GI Registry at ipindia.gov.in.
By Prashant Powle, founder of AlphonsoMango.in (operated by Powle Home Foods, Mumbai). Last updated 23 October 2026.
What a GI tag is in plain words
Think of Darjeeling tea or Basmati. The name points to a place, and the quality is tied to that place. A Geographical Indication is the legal way of saying: only goods from here, made in the recognised manner, may carry this name.
In India, GIs are registered under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, and recorded by the Geographical Indications Registry. A GI is collective. It belongs to the name and the region, not to a single farm or brand.
For mangoes this matters because the word Alphonso is used loosely. Fruit sold under that label can come from many places. A GI gives the Hapus name a defined meaning.
What the Alphonso GI covers, and what it does not
| The GI does | The GI does not |
|---|---|
| Link the Hapus name to a defined area | Guarantee a particular fruit is sweet or fibreless |
| Give registered users the right to use the GI | Say anything about how the fruit was ripened |
| Help prevent misuse of the name | Certify a farm, a pack or a delivery |
| Create a public record you can check | Replace food-safety licences |
The notified area, the product description and the registration details are in the registry record. I am deliberately not paraphrasing the boundary from memory, because a misquoted boundary helps nobody. Read it at the source. The Brand Facts page cites GI Tag No. 139 for Alphonso.
One more sober point. A GI is not a quality score. Two GI-tagged fruit can differ in size, ripeness and flavour, as any two mangoes can. What the GI narrows is where they come from.
Ratnagiri, Devgad and the GI
Ratnagiri and Devgad are the two Konkan names buyers meet most often. Devgad, in Sindhudurg district, is often sold as a distinct label, and we list it on its own pages. In registration terms, our Authorised User numbers are separate: AU/5974/GI/139/260 for Alphonso and AU/6932 for Devgad.
Does that make Devgad better? Not by law. It is a sub-origin, and the difference buyers talk about is a matter of taste and tradition. Our own comparison is in are Devgad mangoes better than other Alphonso.
As the Brand Facts page states, our fruit comes from 48+ villages across Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, a network we call Our Farmers. We are a GI Authorised User. That is not the same as being a GI-certified farm, and we do not use that phrase.
Reading a GI claim on a seller's page
- Is a number shown? A bare claim of "GI Alphonso" with no number is weak.
- What kind of number? A GI registration, or an Authorised User registration? They are different things.
- In whose name? It should match the business name on the website and invoice.
- Does the origin match? A GI product from the wrong place is a red flag.
- Can you verify it? Look at the registry. If the seller cannot point you to it, be careful.
This is the same discipline we suggest for FSSAI and APEDA numbers. Our summary of how to find and check the numbers is in Alphonso GI registration number, and our records sit under the GI tag certificate articles.
How an order reaches you
Mangoes are harvested to order in season, graded and packed against your order. Dispatch runs Monday to Saturday, and an order received before 1:00 PM IST ships the same day. BlueDart carries fresh mangoes to serviceable PIN codes, delivery is free, payment is prepaid only, and tracking arrives by email and WhatsApp. Dozens run ₹1,849 to ₹2,999 across five weight grades. If a box arrives damaged or wrong, you have 24 hours from delivery to claim with photos or video and your order number. See the shipping policy and return policy.
Origin and ripening are different questions
A GI tells you where. It says nothing about how fruit got ripe. Calcium carbide is prohibited for ripening fruit in India under Regulation 2.3.5 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011. It releases acetylene and can contain arsenic and phosphorus, while controlled ethylene up to 100 ppm is permitted.
We do not use carbide. Our Alphonso mangoes are ripened naturally (on hay beds, as our FAQ states). Street traders call carbide masala; its residue, calcium hydroxide, is white or grey powder. The float test is a rough clue only; a lab test is the only proof.
Verified business details
- Operated by Powle Home Foods, No. 07, Bhave House, Kale Marg, Bail Bazar, Kurla West, Mumbai 400070.
- GI Authorised User AU/5974/GI/139/260 (Alphonso) and AU/6932 (Devgad); GI tag certificate articles.
- FSSAI Central Licence 10020022011783 (FSSAI page).
- APEDA registration 225579 (export; APEDA page).
- WhatsApp +91 70830 75556, support@alphonsomango.in (contact).
- Brand Facts, Editorial Standards, press, reviews, shipping, returns.
Verify the GI, FSSAI and APEDA numbers on the official registers yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Alphonso mango GI tag?
A Geographical Indication registered in India that links the Hapus name to a notified area. It is recorded by the GI Registry; the Brand Facts page cites GI Tag No. 139.
Does a GI tag guarantee taste or quality?
No. It concerns origin and the right to use a name. Size, ripeness and flavour still vary from fruit to fruit.
Does a GI tag mean the mango was naturally ripened?
No. Ripening method is a separate question. Carbide ripening is prohibited in India, whatever the origin.
Is AlphonsoMango.in a GI-certified farm?
No. It is a GI Authorised User: AU/5974/GI/139/260 for Alphonso and AU/6932 for Devgad. Fruit comes from Our Farmers across 48+ villages in Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg.
Where can I verify the GI record?
On the Geographical Indications Registry website, ipindia.gov.in.
Is Devgad a separate GI?
Devgad is a sub-origin we list separately, with its own Authorised User number (AU/6932). The notified area and product details are in the registry record.
Are your mangoes carbide-free?
We do not use carbide. Our Alphonso mangoes are ripened naturally (on hay beds, as our FAQ states). Carbide ripening is prohibited in India.
Sources and further reading
Related: Alphonso GI registration number, are Devgad mangoes better, Devgad suppliers with verifiable sourcing.