For Alphonso mango in New Zealand, look to importers and Indian grocers when the fruit is in season, and check the import rules. We do not run a standard delivery service there, so write to us first. We deliver across India by Blue Dart.
Alphonso mango in New Zealand: what we can and cannot do
Many people in New Zealand search for Alphonso because they grew up with it, or because a friend returned from India with a box. We would rather be plain about our position. AlphonsoMango.in delivers across India, and we ship directly to the UAE. For other countries, including New Zealand, shipments have been arranged through the customer's contact abroad, and they are not a standard service. If you want fruit sent to New Zealand, write to us first, and we will tell you what is possible.
We are Powle Home Foods, based in Mumbai, and we run AlphonsoMango.in. This page covers what Alphonso is, why timing and rules matter for fruit that travels across the world, what to ask a seller in New Zealand, and how our own process works if you have a contact in India.
What Alphonso is and where it comes from
Alphonso, called Hapus in Marathi, is a mango variety from the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, India. It is named after Afonso de Albuquerque, and mango grafting was introduced in Portuguese Goa by Jesuit missionaries. A ripe fruit usually weighs 150 to 300 g, and its pulp is described as rich, creamy and non-fibrous.
The fruit from the Ratnagiri and Devgad belt carries a Geographical Indication tag, GI No. 139. Ratnagiri is a district, and Devgad is a taluka in Sindhudurg district. Both grow the same variety, and we do not rank one above the other. We source across 48 villages of this belt, and our fruit is hand-harvested with a zela pole fitted with a catching net. India as a whole produces roughly 43% of the world's mangoes, so Alphonso is one variety among many, though a well-known one.
Timing: Alphonso season and the southern hemisphere
Alphonso is harvested about February to June, with the best supply from March to May. The 2027 season opens on 1 February 2027. New Zealand's summer runs from December to February, so the Alphonso season starts at the very end of summer there and carries into autumn.
Fresh Alphonso is not sold outside the season, because the trees give one crop a year. Wikipedia puts the time from harvest to ripening at about 15 days. A fruit that travels for part of that time arrives with less shelf life, which is one reason overseas shipments are planned around dates, not sent on impulse. Fresh fruit is also fragile, so a delay at customs can cost you the box.
Import rules to check before you order
Every country sets its own conditions for fresh fruit. In New Zealand, the Ministry for Primary Industries oversees biosecurity and import requirements for food and produce. We are not an importer or a customs agent, and we cannot confirm what applies to your shipment. Check current rules with your importer, customs agent or the Ministry before you plan a purchase.
Other countries show how specific the conditions can be. The United States banned Indian mangoes in 1989 and lifted the ban in April 2007, and fruit may enter under conditions that include irradiation before shipment. Check current rules with your importer or customs agent for any destination. Do not assume that an arrangement that worked for a friend last year works for you now.
What to ask any seller in New Zealand
- Which variety is it? "Alphonso" and "Hapus" are the same fruit. Ask for the name on the carton.
- Where did it grow? The GI tag covers the Ratnagiri and Devgad belt, among other places.
- How was it ripened? We do not use carbide. Our Alphonso mangoes are ripened naturally on hay beds. 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.
- How long has it travelled? Ask when it was harvested and how it was stored on the way.
- Which documents travelled with it? A seller importing fresh fruit should be able to talk about them.
No look, smell or home test proves how a mango was ripened or where it grew, and a bucket-of-water test is only a rough clue, not proof. Our guide on identifying authentic Hapus lists the questions in more detail.
Why imported Alphonso costs more
Fruit that crosses an ocean carries costs that fruit sold in India does not: transport, handling, any treatment the destination requires, import paperwork and the risk that part of a box will not survive. We do not quote overseas prices, because those depend on the arrangement and the importer. As a rule, ask for the price of the whole shipment, including everything between the farm and your door, and compare it with what the fruit would cost delivered within India.
It also helps to be clear about what you want. If you want a gift for someone in India, ordering inside India is simpler. If you want fruit for your own table in New Zealand, speak to a local importer first and ask what they bring in and when. If you only want the flavour for desserts in the meantime, ask Indian grocers near you about canned Alphonso pulp, and read the label for the variety.
If you have a contact in India
If a family member or business contact in India can receive and send the fruit, you can order from our site for delivery in India, and your contact can arrange onward transport. We dispatch by Blue Dart, and about 65% of Indian PIN codes get next-day delivery, so check the PIN code at checkout. Our NRI mango gift page is built for people abroad who want to send mangoes to family in India. For export questions, see our mango export page.
When you write to us, include the quantity, the destination country, your preferred dates and your contact in India. We will answer what is possible, and we will not promise a delivery that the rules or the calendar do not allow. Outside the season, Alphonso pulp tins, from Rs 590, are available all year inside India.
The steps above apply to delivery inside India. For New Zealand or any other country outside the UAE, write to us first, because those shipments are not a standard service.
People also ask
Can I buy Alphonso mango in New Zealand?
Alphonso may reach New Zealand through importers and Indian grocers when the fruit is in season, subject to import rules. We do not run a standard delivery service to New Zealand, so write to us first if you want a shipment arranged. Check current rules with your importer or customs agent.
What country is Alphonso mango from?
Alphonso is from India. The fruit with a GI tag comes from the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, around Ratnagiri and Devgad. It is called Hapus in Marathi and is named after Afonso de Albuquerque. We source across 48 villages of that belt and hold an authorised user certificate for GI No. 139.
Is Alphonso the best mango in the world?
Taste is personal, and we do not rank mango varieties. Alphonso is widely loved for its rich, creamy, non-fibrous pulp, and the Ratnagiri and Devgad fruit carries a GI tag. Other varieties such as Kesar have their own fans, so try more than one before you decide.
Are Alphonso mangoes available in the USA?
Yes, Alphonso can enter the United States under conditions that include irradiation before shipment, after a ban from 1989 to 2007. We do not run a standard delivery service to the USA, so write to us first. Check current rules with your importer or customs agent.
Related searches
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Sources and further reading
- 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).
- US Federal Register, Importation of Mangoes From India, proposed rule, volume 71, number 222 (17 November 2006), accessed October 2026.
- Geographical Indications Registry of India, public search record for application 379, Devgad Alphonso Mango (merged with application 139), accessed October 2026.
- Wikipedia, Alphonso mango.
Written by Prashant Powle, founder of AlphonsoMango.in. Last reviewed October 2026.