Sweet and juicy mango madness is the yearly rush for Alphonso (Hapus) mangoes from the Ratnagiri and Devgad belt. The season is short, about February to June, with the best supply from March to May. Our 2027 season opens on 1 February 2027.
What mango madness means for Alphonso
We are Powle Home Foods in Mumbai, and we run AlphonsoMango.in. We have sold mangoes since 2019, online since 2020, and have served 47,000+ customers, including offline and marketplace sales. When people here talk about mango madness, they mean the weeks in which Alphonso arrives, families fix their aamras days, and orders come in faster than fruit can be harvested. It has nothing to do with the soft drink or sauce brands that use the same name, and we are not connected to any of them.
The reason is simple. Alphonso is harvested about February to June, with the best supply from March to May. The 2027 season opens on 1 February 2027. Fresh Alphonso is not sold outside the season, but the Alphonso mango pulp tin (850 g and 3.1 kg, from Rs 590) is available all year. The tree gives one crop a year, and the fruit has to be picked at the right stage and ripened over days. Nothing about that can be rushed, so the madness is really a scarcity: there is a fixed amount of good Alphonso, and a lot of people want it.
We source Alphonso (Hapus) from across 55 villages of the Ratnagiri and Devgad belt on the Konkan coast. Alphonso from this belt is GI-tagged in India under GI No. 139, and we hold GI Authorised User certificate AU/5974/GI/139/260 (GI No. 139). Alphonso is named after Afonso de Albuquerque, and mango grafting was introduced in Portuguese Goa by Jesuit missionaries. Fruits generally weigh 150 to 300 g.
Where the sweetness comes from
Alphonso is known for saffron-orange, non-fibrous flesh and a strong aroma. Part of that comes from the variety, part from the Konkan coast where it grows, and part from how the fruit is picked and ripened. We hand-harvest with a zela pole fitted with a catching net, and all our Alphonso is harvested at Brahma Muhurta, before dawn.
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. We are an FSSAI-licensed seller. Fruit that is ripened over days smells of mango and ripens evenly. Fruit that has been forced can look yellow outside and stay hard and flat inside. No home test proves how a mango was ripened, and the bucket-of-water test is a rough clue, not proof. If you want to know, ask the seller directly, and read our guide on carbide-ripened mangoes.
Our selection, storage and ripening guide covers what to do when a box arrives. The practical rule is patience: a mango that smells sweet at the stalk and gives slightly at the shoulder is ready, and one that does not is not, whatever its colour says.
Because harvest to ripening takes about 15 days, some fruit in a box may arrive firm. Keep it at room temperature and eat each mango as it softens.
Which mango to buy: Ratnagiri, Devgad, Kesar or pulp
Ratnagiri is a district; Devgad is a taluka in Sindhudurg district. Both grow the same Alphonso, and we do not rank one above the other. Choose by grade and price.
- Ratnagiri Alphonso Mango and Devgad Alphonso Mango, both from Rs 1,849 per dozen. A dozen weighs roughly 1.8 to 3.3 kg depending on grade.
- Kesar mango: half-dozen Rs 999, dozen Rs 1,699, for those who like a different taste.
- Alphonso mango pulp tin: 850 g and 3.1 kg, from Rs 590, available all year.
- Freeze-dried Alphonso cubes for a shelf-stable snack all year.
Check the product page for today's price. Everything is on the mango collection.
Mango sweets and snacks beyond the fresh fruit
When the fruit is not available, mango still has a place on the table. We list two traditional Maharashtra mango sweets on the site.
Amba Wadi is a mango barfi, a firm fudge-like sweet. It is listed in the store and may be sold out at times; check the product page for stock and price.
Aam papad (amba poli) is a dried mango sheet, tart at the edge and sweet in the middle, and a classic travel snack. The same note on stock applies. For cooking, our aamras recipe, aam papad recipe and mango kulfi recipe use the same fruit.
How to enjoy a ripe Alphonso
Press gently near the stalk: a ripe mango yields a little, without squashing. Smell the stalk end; ripe Alphonso smells of mango before you cut it. Colour is a weaker clue, since some fruit is ripe at a paler gold than you expect.
- Plain. Slice the cheeks off either side of the flat stone, score the flesh in a grid, and push the skin up to fan out the cubes.
- Aamras. Scoop the pulp, blend with a splash of milk if needed, chill, and serve with puri.
- Smoothies and shakes. See our mango blackberry smoothie and mango milkshake.
- Freezing. Slice, freeze flat on a tray, then bag. See our freezer storage guide.
On nutrition, 100 g of raw mango provides about 36 mg of vitamin C, roughly 40% of the Daily Value. Mango also has natural sugar, so people watching blood sugar should ask their doctor. We sell fruit, not medical advice.
Ordering and delivery
We dispatch by Blue Dart, and about 65% of Indian PIN codes get next-day delivery. Orders received before 1 PM are dispatched the same day. Check your PIN code at checkout. We do not promise a delivery day for any named city. If any fruit arrives damaged, report it within 24 hours of delivery to support@alphonsomango.in or 8369048029. Our how to order guide and Alphonso season guide have the details.
People also ask
What is mango madness?
Mango madness is the annual rush for Alphonso (Hapus) mangoes, when the short season of about February to June brings a limited supply and many buyers. Our 2027 season opens on 1 February 2027. The name is also used for drinks and sauces by other brands, and we are not connected to them.
When is the best time to buy sweet and juicy Alphonso mangoes?
Alphonso is harvested about February to June, with the best supply from March to May. Our 2027 season opens on 1 February 2027. Fresh Alphonso is not sold outside the season, but Alphonso pulp tins are available all year. Order early if you want a particular grade, because supply thins towards June.
How do I pick a ripe, juicy Alphonso mango?
Press gently near the stalk; a ripe fruit yields slightly without squashing. Smell the stalk end, because ripe Alphonso smells of mango before you cut it. Colour is a weaker clue. If a mango is firm, leave it at room temperature and check daily. Do not refrigerate firm fruit.
Can I buy Alphonso mango products outside the season?
Yes, some. The Alphonso pulp tin (850 g and 3.1 kg, from Rs 590) and freeze-dried Alphonso cubes are available all year. We also list amba wadi (mango barfi) and aam papad, which may be sold out at times, so check the product page. Fresh Alphonso is sold only in season.
Related searches
- Alphonso mango taste
- Buy Alphonso mango online
- Alphonso mango season dates
- Amba Wadi mango barfi
- Aam papad amba poli
- Alphonso mango pulp tin
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia, Alphonso mango.
- Wikipedia, Mango.
- Wikipedia, Konkan.
- Geographical Indications Registry of India, public search record for application 379, Devgad Alphonso Mango (merged with application 139), accessed October 2026.
- 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).
Written by Prashant Powle, founder of AlphonsoMango.in. Last reviewed October 2026.