No official ranking exists, but many people name the Alphonso the best mango in the world for its creamy, non-fibrous pulp and strong aroma. The GI-tagged fruit grows around Ratnagiri and Devgad and is sold fresh from February to June.
What "best" means for a mango
Nobody maintains an official list of the best mango in the world, so any single answer is an opinion. What can be said is that the question usually comes down to five things: flavour, aroma, texture, how the fruit was ripened, and how fresh it is when you eat it. A mango that is excellent by variety can still disappoint if it was picked too early, ripened with a shortcut or sat for too long.
India grows roughly 43% of the world's mangoes (FAO figures that also include mangosteens and guavas), about 26 million tonnes in 2023, so it is natural that many of the best-known varieties come from here. The mango is also the national fruit of India, Pakistan and the Philippines, and each country has its own favourites. That is worth keeping in mind before declaring a winner.
Why Alphonso is often called the best
The Alphonso is the variety most often named when people argue for the best mango. Its pulp is described as rich, creamy and non-fibrous, which means you eat it with a spoon and do not pick strings out of your teeth. The aroma is strong enough to fill a room, and the fruit carries a sweetness balanced by a little acidity. Alphonso fruits generally weigh 150 to 300 g, which makes them easy to handle and share.
The variety is named after Afonso de Albuquerque, and mango grafting was introduced in Portuguese Goa by Jesuit missionaries. The fruit most prized in India comes from the Konkan coast, where it is called Hapus. Alphonso from the Ratnagiri and Devgad belt is GI-tagged in India (GI No. 139), which is a legal marker of origin. A GI tag tells you where a fruit was grown. It does not by itself tell you how the fruit was ripened, so ask about that separately.
We sell this fruit as AlphonsoMango.in, run by Powle Home Foods in Mumbai. We hold GI Authorised User certificate AU/5974/GI/139/260 (GI No. 139), and our fruit is sourced from 48 villages across the Ratnagiri and Devgad belt. We have sold mangoes since 2019 offline and since 2020 online, with 47,000+ customers including offline and marketplace sales.
Other mangoes people rate highly
A fair answer has to include the rivals. Gir Kesar from Gujarat is another well-loved Indian mango, with orange, aromatic pulp; it is said to have been grown in 1931 by the Junagadh Wazir Sale Bhai and to have been known as Kesar since 1934, when the Nawab of Junagadh remarked on its orange pulp. In north India, Langra, Dasheri and Chaunsa have their own loyal followings. The Philippines, a country where the mango is also the national fruit, is known for its own sweet varieties.
At the very top of the price scale, Japan's Miyazaki mangoes are reported to sell at around Rs 1 lakh per kg, but that is a luxury gift market and says little about everyday eating. For most people the best mango is the one that is fresh, ripened properly and in season where they live. If you want to compare varieties on practical points, our guide to which mango is best is a good next read, and you can see our Kesar mango listing for a different taste.
We also list a Malawi mango on the site as an imported variety for people who want to try something different from Hapus. Check the product page for availability and price. Our core range is Alphonso, and the rest of this page is about it.
Where the best Alphonso grows: the Konkan coast
Konkan is the stretch of the western coast between the Arabian Sea and the Deccan Plateau. Ratnagiri is a district there, and Devgad is a taluka in Sindhudurg district. Both grow the same variety, so we list Ratnagiri and Devgad Alphonso side by side and ask you to choose by the grade, fruit count and box size shown on the listing, not by an assumed ranking. See our Ratnagiri and Devgad comparison for how the listings differ.
Our fruit is hand-harvested with a zela pole fitted with a catching net, so it does not hit the ground. Harvest is done at Brahma Muhurta, the pre-dawn hours. Harvest to ripening takes about 15 days for Alphonso, which is part of why the season feels short: the fruit cannot be held for long. Alphonso is harvested about February to June, with the best supply from March to May. The 2027 season opens on 1 February 2027.
A good mango photo: what to look for
Many people land on this page looking for a best mango photo, so here is what a good one shows. Natural light from a window in the morning shows the colour of the skin without harsh reflections. A dark wood or plain background lets golden tones stand out. A halved fruit shows the pulp, and a ripe Alphonso has smooth, non-fibrous flesh around a flat seed. Keep a leaf or stalk on the fruit if you want it to look freshly picked.
Colour in a photograph, though, is a rough clue about a mango, not proof of anything. A fruit can look perfect and still have been ripened poorly, and a fruit with green patches can be fully ripe. If you are judging a mango on a screen, rely on what the seller says about origin and ripening, not on the picture alone.
Ripening decides how good the mango tastes
Mature mangoes either ripen on their own, for example on a bed of hay over several days, or are forced with a chemical. Calcium carbide, which produces acetylene gas, is prohibited for ripening fruit under Regulation 2.3.5 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011. Ethylene up to 100 ppm is the permitted alternative.
We do not use carbide. Our Alphonso mangoes are ripened naturally on hay beds.
Whichever seller you buy from, ask how the fruit was ripened and how many fruits and what weight you get per dozen. Our dozen weighs roughly 1.8 to 3.3 kg depending on grade. Read more in our guide to how to identify authentic Hapus mango.
How to choose a mango
- Season. Buy a variety when it is in season. Fresh Alphonso is not sold by us outside February to June; pulp tins are available all year from Rs 590.
- Origin. Ask where the fruit was grown and whether the seller can show a GI Authorised User certificate.
- Ripening. Ask how it was ripened. No home test proves it.
- Price. Compare per dozen with the grade and fruit count. Our Alphonso is listed from Rs 1,849 per dozen; check the product page for the price you will pay.
- Delivery. We dispatch by Blue Dart, and about 65% of Indian PIN codes get next-day delivery. Check your PIN code at checkout.
When the season opens you can shop our mangoes collection or write to us through the contact page with questions before you order.
People also ask
Which is the best mango in the world?
There is no official ranking, so it depends on taste. Many people name the Alphonso for its creamy, non-fibrous pulp and aroma. Kesar, Langra, Dasheri and Philippine varieties also have strong followings. The best mango is usually the one that is in season, fresh and ripened naturally.
Which country produces the best mangoes?
India produces roughly 43% of the world's mangoes, about 26 million tonnes in 2023, according to FAO figures that also include mangosteens and guavas. Quantity is not quality, though. Pakistan, the Philippines and other countries grow well-loved varieties too, so "best" remains a matter of taste.
Why is Alphonso considered the best mango?
Alphonso is described as having rich, creamy, non-fibrous pulp and a strong aroma. It is grown on the Konkan coast, its season is short, and the GI-tagged fruit from Ratnagiri and Devgad is protected by origin. Those traits, plus scarcity, explain its reputation as the king of mangoes.
When is the best time to buy Alphonso mangoes?
Alphonso is harvested about February to June, with the best supply from March to May. Buy in that window for fresh fruit. The 2027 season opens on 1 February 2027. Outside the season we do not sell fresh Alphonso, but Alphonso pulp tins are available all year.
Related searches
- Which mango is best for you
- Alphonso mango king of fruits
- Buy Ratnagiri Alphonso mango
- Buy Devgad Alphonso mango
- Kesar mango online
- Alphonso mango pulp tin
- Alphonso mango season guide
- Best Indian mango varieties
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia, Mango.
- Wikipedia, Alphonso mango.
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, Regulation 2.3.5 (compendium version of 2 April 2025).
- Geographical Indications Registry of India, public search record for application 379, Devgad Alphonso Mango (merged with application 139), accessed October 2026.
Written by Prashant Powle, founder of AlphonsoMango.in. Last reviewed October 2026.