Both Ratnagiri and Devgad Alphonso (Hapus, Haapus, Hapoos) carry GI Tag No. 139 and come from Konkan, Maharashtra. Ratnagiri Hapus is sweet-tangy with a citrus edge; Devgad Hapus is denser, more aromatic, and fiberless to the seed. Peak season runs March to May.
· Alphonso season: February to June (peak March to May)
The Short Answer: Which One Should You Buy?
We source from both regions — 55 villages across Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts — and the honest answer is: it depends on what you want from a mango.
If you want that classic sweet-tangy balance, the kind that makes a good aamras without needing sugar, Ratnagiri Hapus is your fruit. If you want something that fills the room with fragrance before you've even opened the box, and you want pulp so smooth it feels like cold butter on the tongue, pick Devgad.
Both carry GI Tag No. 139 from the Government of India. Neither is fake Hapus. They're simply different expressions of the same variety, shaped by different coastal microclimates about 80 km apart.
Buy Original Devgad Alphonso Mango Online
Original Devgad Alphonso Mango (Export Quality Devgad Hapus) Order Now
₹1,849 – ₹5,499 by grade
Not available right now · season February to June (peak March to May)
Ratnagiri Alphonso Mango (GI Tagged) – Authentic Hapus Aam
₹1,849 – ₹5,399 by grade
Not available right now · season February to June (peak March to May)
Ratnagiri vs Devgad Alphonso: Side-by-Side
| Feature | Ratnagiri Alphonso | Devgad Alphonso |
|---|---|---|
| GI Status | GI Tag No. 139, Ratnagiri district | GI Tag No. 139, Sindhudurg district |
| Aroma | Strong, fragrant — the classic Hapus smell | Exceptionally intense; detectable through the carton |
| Flavour | Sweet with a distinct citrus-tangy edge | Bold, dessert-like sweetness, very low acidity |
| Pulp texture | Creamy, minimal fibre | Completely fiberless right to the seed |
| Skin colour | Saffron-yellow, crimson blush on sun side | Deep golden-yellow, darker orange near the stem |
| Brix at peak | 18 to 24 degrees | Typically at the upper end of the 18 to 24 range |
| Weight range | 150 to 275 g depending on grade | 150 to 275 g depending on grade |
| Season peak | March to May, tends to arrive earlier in season | April to May, tends to peak later in season |
| Best for | Daily eating, aamras, balanced desserts | Gifting, export, aamras with no added sugar |
| Transit stability | Good for standard courier handling | Slightly firmer shoulder; handles long routes well |
What actually makes them taste different?
The same tree variety. The same hand-harvesting method using a Nutan pole with a catching net so the fruit never hits the ground. The same hay-bed ripening. And yet, open a Devgad box next to a Ratnagiri box and any experienced buyer will tell them apart in thirty seconds.
Much of that difference comes down to coastal microclimate and orchard character. Our Devgad fruit comes from villages like Jamsande, Vijaydurg and Kunkeshwar in Sindhudurg district, places we have been buying from since 2020. Ratnagiri fruit comes from orchards in villages like Pawas, Golap and Nachane in Ratnagiri taluka, and further south into Rajapur and Lanja, each with slightly different harvest timing and flavour character depending on elevation and coastal proximity.
From what we observe season after season, Devgad fruit consistently reaches the upper end of the Brix range (18 to 24 degrees), with a more pronounced fragrance and denser pulp. Ratnagiri fruit sits comfortably within that same 18 to 24 degree range but carries a characteristic citrus-tangy edge that Devgad does not. Across our harvests we have noticed that weather during March, particularly how warm and dry it runs, influences how concentrated the Ratnagiri fruit tastes that year.
When is Hapus season, and which region comes first?
The Alphonso season runs February to June, with peak quality from March to May. Within that window, Ratnagiri fruit typically becomes available earlier in the season, while Devgad fruit tends to peak in April to May. Both regions overlap through April, which is when supply from each is usually strongest.
So if you're buying in March, Ratnagiri fruit is usually more readily available. By late April, Devgad boxes are at their best. We dispatch both regions through the season from our Malvan packing centre and Devgad packing point, with fruit reaching most Indian cities in 1 to 3 days via BlueDart, Delhivery, Ekart or XpressBees depending on your pin code.
Fresh Alphonso is available only February to June. We don't sell Hapus between July and January. If you see it listed elsewhere in August, ask questions.
How do I know if my Alphonso is genuine Ratnagiri or Devgad?
This question comes up constantly, and it's fair. There's a lot of mislabelled fruit in the market, especially in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Delhi where buyers can't easily verify origin.
A few things that actually indicate genuine GI-tagged fruit:
- Documented GI sourcing. The seller should be an authorised GI user or source directly from one. We hold GI Authorised User certificate AU/5974/GI/139/260 (Registry Certificate No. 4163, issued 16 October 2019). That paperwork exists and can be referenced.
- Aroma through the box. Real Devgad Hapus is detectable by smell before you open the carton. Ratnagiri isn't far behind. Artificially ripened lookalikes from outside Konkan have a faint or chemically sweet smell, nothing like the rich, floral aroma of genuine Alphonso.
- Skin texture and colour. Genuine ripe Alphonso has smooth skin with no mottled green patches. The shoulder near the stem turns a deeper orange on Devgad fruit; Ratnagiri shows a bright saffron-yellow with a crimson flush on the sun-facing cheek.
- Pulp depth. Cut it open. The flesh should be deep orange, not pale yellow. Fiberless on Devgad; near-fiberless on Ratnagiri. If you're pulling threads from your teeth, it's not Hapus.
- Ripening method declared. We ripen exclusively on hay beds in temperature-controlled rooms. No ethylene chambers, no calcium carbide. If a seller can't or won't say how their fruit was ripened, that tells you something.
Our fruit is also independently tested by Envirocare Labs (NABL accredited, Thane) each season. The April 2025 panel found all 28 residues within Codex limits, 27 of 28 below the limit of quantification. We say 'within Codex limits' rather than 'pesticide-free' because one residue (thiamethoxam, 0.013 mg/kg against a 0.2 mg/kg limit) was detected at trace levels.
What does Ratnagiri or Devgad Alphonso cost, and why?
Prices shift each season with yield, weather and demand. The last listed price on our site was ₹1849 and above depending on grade and box size: half dozen, 1 dozen or 2 dozen. Devgad fruit is often priced marginally higher than Ratnagiri at the same grade, reflecting the smaller yield zone and higher per-fruit concentration.
Grades run Small (150 to 180 g per fruit), Medium (180 to 225 g), Extra Large (250 to 275 g) and Jumbo (275 to 300 g). Every fruit passing through our Malvan and Devgad packing points is weighed individually and scanned by AI/ML-assisted machines checking for spongy tissue and external deformities before packing. The grade affects size, not flavour. A Small Devgad Hapus tastes exactly like a Jumbo one.
Generic non-GI Hapus from the Raigad or Thane belt, or from Valsad, is structurally different. It may look similar on a market stall but the Brix is lower, the shelf life shorter, and in many cases calcium carbide has been used to force colour. The lower sticker price is real. So is the trade-off.
North India leans Ratnagiri. Mumbai leans Devgad. Here's why.
We've seen this consistently across 47,000 customers since 2020. Buyers in Delhi, Jaipur and Chandigarh tend to reorder Ratnagiri. The sweet-tangy profile is closer to what north Indians associate with a good mango. Buyers in Mumbai and coastal Maharashtra reach for Devgad by name, often asking specifically for Jamsande or Vijaydurg orchards.
For export to the US, UK, UAE, Singapore and Japan, Devgad dominates. Its firmer shoulder, denser pulp and longer shelf life make it more transit-stable on international routes. Delivery within India covers 15,000 to 17,000 pin codes. Metro cities typically receive fruit within 20 to 24 hours of dispatch; tier-2 cities within 1 to 3 days.
How to ripen and store your Hapus at home
Fruit leaves our packhouse at 70 to 80% ripeness, firm enough to survive courier transit, ripe enough to finish naturally at home within about three days of delivery. Don't refrigerate an unripe mango. The cold stops the ripening process mid-way and gives you watery, flat-tasting pulp.
Set the fruit in a single layer on a flat surface in a shaded, ventilated spot. When the shoulder near the stem deepens in colour and the mango yields slightly to gentle thumb pressure, it's ready. On Devgad, you'll smell it before you need to press it. Once ripe, it keeps in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Bring it back to room temperature before eating, because cold fruit mutes the aroma.
For aamras, wait until the pulp is fully soft. Devgad aamras needs no sugar at the upper end of the 18 to 24 degree Brix range. Ratnagiri aamras has a natural citrus note that works well with a pinch of cardamom and a strand of saffron.
Ratnagiri or Devgad: which should you order?
Order Ratnagiri if you want the classic Hapus experience, a sweet-tangy mango for daily eating or aamras with a bit of brightness, or you're buying for a mixed group with varied preferences.
Order Devgad if you want the most intense Alphonso fragrance you've experienced, you're sending a gift to someone who knows their mangoes, or you're making a dessert where pulp colour and texture matter.
Both are available on the site during the February to June season. Our Ratnagiri Hapus guide covers that variety in more depth if you want to read further before deciding.
One honest limitation: we don't sell Alphonso from July through January. The season is what it is, roughly four months of genuine fruit, then a long wait. Pre-orders can be cancelled before dispatch if your plans change.
Order GI-Tagged Hapus from AlphonsoMango.in
Powle Home Foods (FSSAI 10020022011783, APEDA 225579) has sourced from 55 villages across Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg since 2020. Every box is graded by weight, scanned for internal defects, ripened on hay rather than gas, and dispatched within 48 to 72 hours of harvest. If transit damage or quality failure occurs, photograph the fruit and message us on WhatsApp within 24 hours of delivery. We'll dispatch a replacement or credit your account. No returns required.
The Original Devgad Alphonso Mango (Export Quality Devgad Hapus) Order Now is currently not available (season February to June); last listed from ₹1849. The Ratnagiri Alphonso Mango (GI Tagged) – Authentic Hapus Aam is also currently not available (season February to June); last listed from ₹1849. Browse all mango options and sign up to be notified when the next season opens.
For those curious about the Konkan beyond just these two talukas, the complete Hapus Amba sourcing guide covers village-level geography in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Ratnagiri and Devgad Alphonso mango?
Both are GI-tagged Hapus from Konkan, Maharashtra. Ratnagiri Alphonso is sweet-tangy with a citrus edge and creamy pulp. Devgad Alphonso is denser, more aromatic, completely fiberless, and typically reaches the upper end of the 18 to 24 degree Brix range. Both peak March to May.
Which is better, Ratnagiri or Devgad Hapus?
Neither is objectively better. Ratnagiri suits buyers who want a balanced sweet-tangy flavour. Devgad suits those who want the most intense aroma and dessert-like sweetness. For gifting and export, Devgad is preferred; for daily eating, many choose Ratnagiri.
When is Alphonso mango season in India?
The Alphonso season runs February to June, with peak quality from March to May. Ratnagiri fruit tends to arrive earlier in the season; Devgad peaks in April to May. No genuine fresh Alphonso is available July to January.
How much does Ratnagiri or Devgad Alphonso mango cost?
Prices vary by season, grade and box size. On AlphonsoMango.in, Ratnagiri and Devgad Alphonso were last listed from ₹1849 per box. Devgad is often marginally higher than Ratnagiri at the same grade due to smaller yield zones.
How is Alphonso mango delivered, and how long does it take?
We dispatch via BlueDart, Delhivery, Ekart or XpressBees depending on your pin code. Metro cities receive fruit within 20 to 24 hours of dispatch; most other cities within 1 to 3 days across 15,000 to 17,000 serviceable pin codes across India.
How do I verify my Alphonso mango is genuinely GI-tagged?
Ask for the seller's GI Authorised User certificate. AlphonsoMango.in holds AU/5974/GI/139/260 (GI No. 139, Registry Certificate No. 4163, issued 16 October 2019). Genuine fruit will also be ripened without carbide and have intense natural aroma.
Source: Powle Home Foods (AlphonsoMango.in), GI Authorised User AU/5974/GI/139/260; FSSAI 10020022011783; APEDA 225579; natural hay-bed ripening, no carbide.