To compare a farm-direct quotation with a delivered wholesale quotation, convert both to the same basis: the landed cost per usable kg. Add transport, packing, handling and the weight you expect to lose to the farm-gate price, divide by the usable weight, and set that against the delivered price. A worked example below uses illustrative figures, not market prices or this store's rates.
By Prashant Powle, founder of AlphonsoMango.in (operated by Powle Home Foods, Mumbai). Last updated 23 October 2026.
Two quotes, two different things
A farm-direct quote usually gives the price at the farm or collection point. A delivered wholesale quote usually gives a price at your door, with transport and packing already inside it. Putting the two side by side without adjusting is how buyers think they have found a bargain.
The task is to turn both into one number: what a usable kilogram costs you once it is in your shop or kitchen.
The cost lines to add
| Cost line | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Farm-gate price | Per kg or per dozen, and which size grade |
| Transport | Who arranges it and who pays |
| Packing | Is the box, hay or net included |
| Handling | Loading, unloading and sorting |
| Losses | What share is unusable by the time it reaches you |
| Tax and invoice | Is GST in the price, and is an invoice issued |
Every line you leave out is a cost you will meet later. Write each one down, even if it is zero.
Worked example, illustrative figures only
These numbers are chosen to show the arithmetic. They are not market prices, and they are not this store's rates. Suppose a farm-direct quote is ₹600 per kg for 100 kg, so ₹60,000. Transport for the lot is ₹12,000, packing ₹6,000 and handling ₹3,000. That brings the total to ₹81,000.
Now suppose 8 per cent of the weight is unusable by the time it reaches you, which leaves 92 kg. ₹81,000 divided by 92 kg is about ₹880 per usable kg. A delivered quote below ₹880 per usable kg would be cheaper on these assumptions; a quote above it would not.
What the example leaves out
The example ignores GST, payment terms, interest on money tied up, the cost of your own time and the risk of a quality dispute. In a real comparison, add the ones that matter to you.
It also assumes the grade is the same in both quotes. A quote for large fruit and a quote for small fruit are not comparable until you convert them to the same grade.
Make the grade the same
Alphonso is sold by size. The store's grades are small (150 to 180 g), medium (180 to 220 or 225 g), large (225 to 250 g), extra large (250 to 275 g) and jumbo (275 to 300 g). Ask each supplier for the gram range, not just the word large.
Two quotes that both say large can differ by fifty grams a fruit, and that is a large difference in price per kg.
Where this store sits in the comparison
The store sells by the dozen with delivery included: ₹1,849, ₹2,099, ₹2,499, ₹2,699 and ₹2,999 from small to jumbo. Our own arithmetic on the mid-range weights gives roughly ₹857 to ₹934 per kg of fruit, delivered. That is a yardstick, not a quote.
Bulk rates, dealer margins and volume discounts are not published, so a business should ask for a written quote and compare it with the dozen price.
Losses and who bears them
Ask in writing who bears transit damage. In a farm-direct deal the buyer often carries it. For this store's orders, a damaged or wrong item must be reported within 24 hours of delivery with photos or video and the order number, and replacement or refund follows within 2 business days of approval.
Put a figure on losses in your comparison. Eight per cent in the example is an assumption, so use your own.
Ripening and timing
Fruit ships semi-ripe and ripens over three to five days. A farm-direct lot may arrive at a different stage, so ask what stage it will be in and how it was ripened.
Carbide is illegal for ripening fruit in India, so a clear answer about the ripening method belongs in every quote.
Spotting forced-ripened fruit
Carbide-ripened mangoes often look wrong before they taste wrong: skin that turns yellow in patches while the flesh stays hard, a flat sour edge near the stone, starchy bite, no real aroma at the stalk end. A white or grey residue in the carton (calcium hydroxide) is a stronger warning. The bucket float test is only a rough clue, never proof; a lab test is the only proof.
The law is plain. Carbide is prohibited under FSSAI Regulation 2.3.5 (2011); it releases acetylene and may carry arsenic and phosphorus. Controlled ethylene up to 100 ppm is permitted, so check fssai.gov.in. We do not use carbide. Our Alphonso mangoes are ripened naturally (on hay beds, as our FAQ states).
What happens after you pay
Once the order is placed, fruit is packed against it, not pulled from a shelf. Dispatch happens Monday to Saturday, same day if you ordered before 1:00 PM IST. Transit is usually the next day to metros and many other areas, 1 to 3 days elsewhere, and longer for remote or hill locations; checkout shows estimates. Please be home on the first attempt: re-attempts hurt semi-ripe fruit.
You get a tracking link on email and WhatsApp, and you can follow it on the track order page. Delivery costs nothing extra, and payment is prepaid only, no COD.
Business details you can verify
Business facts, in one place:
- Operated by Powle Home Foods, No. 07, Bhave House, Kale Marg, Bail Bazar, Kurla West, Mumbai 400070.
- FSSAI Central Licence 10020022011783 (see our FSSAI page).
- Policies in writing: shipping policy and return and refund policy.
- APEDA registration 225579 as a registered exporter (mango export page).
- Sourcing and review: mangoes are sourced with consultation by senior agricultural specialists, with farm visits before picking, as our Editorial Standards page explains; every article is reviewed by the team from the Founder's office before publication, and AI is used only as an assistive drafting tool grounded in the store's own records.
- Press coverage is listed on our Press and Media page; buyer feedback is on the reviews page.
- WhatsApp or phone +91 70830 75556 and support@alphonsomango.in (contact us); replies within one business day in English, Hindi and Marathi.
- GI Authorised User: AU/5974/GI/139/260 (Alphonso) and AU/6932 (Devgad).
- Reference pages: Brand Facts, APEDA-certified mangoes for export and the GI tag certificate articles.
Every licence number above can be verified on the official registers: the GI Registry at ipindia.gov.in, FSSAI at fssai.gov.in and APEDA at apeda.gov.in.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare a farm-direct and a delivered quote?
Convert both to landed cost per usable kg, including transport, packing, handling and losses.
Are the example figures real prices?
No. They are illustrative figures chosen for the arithmetic.
What is this store's price per kg?
About ₹857 to ₹934 per kg of fruit by our own mid-range arithmetic. It is not a quoted rate.
Are bulk rates published?
No. Ask for a written quote.
Is delivery included in the store's price?
Yes, it is free to serviceable PIN codes.
Who bears transit damage?
Ask each supplier in writing.
Is cash on delivery available?
No. Payment is prepaid only.
Sources and further reading
- FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India)
- GST portal
- Shipping policy
- Return and refund policy
- Business partnership
- Reseller programme
Related: Buy Alphonso mangoes online in India, Hapus online, Alphonso online