Before placing a commercial Alphonso order, an importer should confirm the product specification and grade, the packing, which documents travel with the shipment, price basis and payment terms, the shipping window and who bears each cost. AlphonsoMango.in is an APEDA-registered exporter (registration 225579); export terms are confirmed in the quote, not published.
By Prashant Powle, founder of AlphonsoMango.in (operated by Powle Home Foods, Mumbai). Last updated 23 October 2026.
Why a checklist beats a price list
A price tells you what you will pay. It says nothing about what arrives, in what condition, with which paperwork, or who is liable when a carton is late. A short, boring checklist handles all that.
Fresh Alphonso is a hard export. The season is brief, the fruit is delicate, and the shipping window is narrow. Our export page names the markets we have worked towards (the US, UK, UAE, Singapore and Japan) and describes a March to June season by air freight. Beyond that, I am deliberately not going to invent terms for you. What follows is the list I would want an importer to carry into the first conversation, and a note on which answers are published and which come only in a written quote.
Specification and grade
Ask for the product in writing, not by name alone.
- Origin. Ratnagiri or Devgad. Both are in the Konkan, sourced from our 48+ source villages across Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, per our Brand Facts page.
- Grade in grams. Our retail grades run from 150–180 g (small) to 275–300 g (jumbo). Ask which grade bands are available for export and in what proportions.
- Ripeness at dispatch. Fruit is shipped semi-ripe, about stage 2–3 on our scale. For a long transit you need to know the stage and the expected shelf life on arrival.
- Tolerance. A natural size mix within a grade is normal. Agree a tolerance up front, so a shipment is not argued over fruit that is simply the next gram up or down.
GI status belongs here as well. Our GI Authorised User numbers are AU/5974/GI/139/260 (Alphonso) and AU/6932 (Devgad). GI Tag No. 139 covers Alphonso of Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts, per our Brand Facts page. If your market cares about the GI, ask how it will be shown on the paperwork.
Packing and handling
For retail, the Brand Facts page states a 5-ply corrugated box with a 12-slot partition, air holes and a hay bed, each mango in a foam-net sleeve, in 3.5 kg and 4 kg sizes. For an export shipment, ask whether the same pack applies, what the carton dimensions and gross weights are, and how cartons are palletised for air freight. Do not assume.
Also ask how fruit is picked and treated. Hand-harvesting with a catching net, grading, machine scanning for spongy tissue and external defects, controlled hot-water treatment and post-harvest cooling are the steps our Brand Facts page lists. Which of these apply to a particular export consignment is a question for the team, and the answer should be in the quote.
Documents and compliance
This is where first-time importers lose weeks. I can tell you what we hold: FSSAI Central Licence 10020022011783, APEDA registration 225579 and the two GI Authorised User numbers. Each can be checked on the official registers (fssai.gov.in, apeda.gov.in, ipindia.gov.in).
What I cannot tell you is which certificates your destination requires. That depends on the country, the product and the year. So your checklist should say:
- Which documents does the destination authority require for fresh mangoes?
- Which of those does the exporter provide, and which does the importer arrange?
- Who pays for inspection, testing and certification, and when?
- What happens if the consignment is held at the border?
Testing is another item. Our Brand Facts page states carbide and pesticide-residue testing by Envirocare Labs weekly through the season. Ask whether test reports can accompany a consignment, and in what form. Do not assume a report will exist for a given batch; get it written.
Price basis, payment and timing
Be precise about each of these, because the vague ones are where disputes begin.
| Item | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Price basis | Per kilo or per carton? Which delivery term applies, and where does risk pass to you? |
| Currency | In which currency, and fixed or floating until payment? |
| Payment | Advance, part-advance or other. When is each due? |
| Validity | How long does the quote stay open? Fruit prices move in season. |
| Shipping window | Which dispatch dates? Who books the freight? |
| Claims | Time limit, evidence needed, and remedy for damage or shortfall |
On timing: our Alphonso season usually runs February to June, and the 2027 season is listed to start on 1 February 2027. The export page speaks of March to June for overseas shipments. No 2027 prices are published. Ask for a dated quote and a validity period; the page on what a quotation should include is a good companion.
What is published and what is not
Honest accounting helps both sides, so here it is.
- Published: that we are an APEDA-registered exporter, the registration number, the markets named on the export page, the season window, the credentials above and the retail pack description.
- Not published: export prices, minimum quantities, credit terms, volume discounts, branded packaging options and a GST invoice format. These are confirmed in the quote.
- Retail policies do not carry over. Free delivery, prepaid-only payment and the 24-hour claim window describe retail orders within India. Do not read them as export terms.
Enquire through the export page or WhatsApp +91 70830 75556. The team replies within one business day, in English, Hindi or Marathi. See also how to make an export enquiry.
Carbide and ripening method
We do not use carbide. Our Alphonso mangoes are ripened naturally (on hay beds, as our FAQ states), and Brand Facts says no ethylene chambers are used. For an importer this matters twice: once for your own market’s rules and once for your customers. 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; it releases acetylene and can carry arsenic and phosphorus impurities. FSSAI permits controlled ethylene ripening up to 100 ppm; check fssai.gov.in for the current text. Whatever the supplier, ask for the ripening method in writing.
Verified business details
The GI, FSSAI and APEDA numbers can be verified on the official registers.
- Operated by Powle Home Foods, Kurla West, Mumbai 400070; 48+ source villages, per our Brand Facts page.
- GI Authorised User AU/5974/GI/139/260 (Alphonso) and AU/6932 (Devgad); see the GI tag certificate articles.
- FSSAI Central Licence 10020022011783 (FSSAI page).
- APEDA registration 225579 (APEDA export page).
- WhatsApp +91 70830 75556, support@alphonsomango.in (contact).
- Shipping, returns, press coverage, reviews.
Frequently asked questions
What should an importer confirm first?
The specification: origin, grade in grams, ripeness at dispatch and agreed tolerance. Then packing, documents, price basis, payment terms, shipping window and claims. Get each in writing.
Is AlphonsoMango.in an APEDA-registered exporter?
Yes, APEDA registration 225579, as published on our media kit and export pages. You can verify it with APEDA at apeda.gov.in.
Which markets do you name for export?
The export page names the US, UK, UAE, Singapore and Japan, with a March to June season by air freight. Terms for each market are confirmed in the quote.
Are export prices published?
No. Export prices, minimum quantities, credit terms and volume discounts are not published and are confirmed in the quote.
Do retail delivery and return rules apply to export?
No. Free delivery, prepaid-only payment and the 24-hour claim window describe retail orders within India. Export terms come in the written quote.
Can I get test reports?
Our Brand Facts page states weekly carbide and pesticide-residue testing by Envirocare Labs through the season. Ask whether reports can accompany a consignment.
Do you use carbide?
No. We do not use carbide. Our Alphonso mangoes are ripened naturally on hay beds, as our FAQ states. Carbide ripening is prohibited in India.
Sources and further reading
Related: How to make an export order enquiry, Export documentation checklist, Export carton specifications.