Indian mango varieties run into the hundreds, but seven cover most of what you will see in shops: Alphonso, Kesar, Dashehari, Langra, Chausa, Himsagar and Totapuri. Here is where each grows, how it tastes and when it ripens, plus the Alphonso we sell.
How many mango varieties are there in India?
Nobody has one agreed count. Figures quoted for India usually run from about a thousand to well over fifteen hundred named types, because the same fruit often carries different names in different districts. Only a few dozen are grown and sold on a commercial scale. The rest are local trees, backyard seedlings and old orchard selections.
India is also the largest mango producer. Wikipedia, citing FAO figures that also include mangosteens and guavas, puts India at roughly 43% of world output, about 26 million tonnes in 2023. The mango is the national fruit of India, and the English word comes from the Portuguese manga, which came from Malayalam.
For a buyer, the useful question is not the total. It is which handful of varieties differ enough in taste, texture and season to matter when you order. Those are the seven below.
The 7 main Indian mango varieties at a glance
| Variety | Main growing region | Character | Rough season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alphonso (Hapus) | Konkan coast, Maharashtra | Rich, creamy, non-fibrous pulp | About February to June, best supply March to May |
| Kesar | Saurashtra and the Gir area, Gujarat | Orange pulp, strong aroma, popular for aamras | Roughly May to June |
| Dashehari | Malihabad near Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh | Sweet, thin skin, little fibre | Roughly June to July |
| Langra | Varanasi region, Uttar Pradesh | Skin stays green when ripe, tangy-sweet with a resin note | Roughly July |
| Chausa | Uttar Pradesh and Bihar | Very sweet and juicy | Roughly July to August |
| Himsagar | West Bengal | Small, sweet, little fibre | Roughly May to June |
| Totapuri | Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu | Firm, tangy, beak-shaped tip, widely used for pulp | Roughly May to July |
Treat the seasons as rough guides. Weather, altitude and the year change them, and a variety can appear in the market weeks apart in two states. The Alphonso row is the one we can speak for from our own harvest: we harvest about February to June.
Alphonso (Hapus): the variety we sell
Alphonso is called Hapus or Aamba in Marathi. It is named after Afonso de Albuquerque, and mango grafting reached Portuguese Goa through Jesuit missionaries. Wikipedia describes the fruit as generally weighing 150 to 300 g, with a rich, creamy, non-fibrous pulp.
We source Alphonso across 48 villages of the Ratnagiri and Devgad belt on the Konkan coast. Ratnagiri is a district; Devgad is a taluka in Sindhudurg district. Both grow the same variety. Fruit is harvested by hand with a zela pole fitted with a catching net. Alphonso from this belt is GI-certified Alphonso (GI No. 139), and we hold GI Authorised User certificate AU/5974/GI/139/260 (GI No. 139). You can read how the tag works in our guide to the Alphonso mango GI tag.
We do not use carbide. Our Alphonso mangoes are ripened naturally on hay beds. Prices on our site start from Rs 1,849 per dozen; a dozen weighs roughly 1.8 to 3.3 kg depending on grade. Check the product page for today's price.
Order from the Ratnagiri Alphonso Mango or the Devgad Alphonso Mango page. Fresh Alphonso is not sold outside the season, and the 2027 season opens on 1 February 2027.
Kesar: the orange-pulp mango of Gujarat
Kesar is grown around the Gir area of Saurashtra. Wikipedia says it is said to have been grown in 1931 by the Junagadh Wazir Sale Bhai, and to have been known as Kesar since 1934, when the Nawab of Junagadh remarked on its orange pulp. The name comes from kesar, saffron, for that colour.
Kesar is often chosen for aamras because the orange pulp blends smoothly and keeps its colour. Our Kesar mango box is listed from Rs 999. If you plan to make aamras, our aamras recipe walks through the method.
Dashehari, Langra and Chausa: the north Indian trio
Dashehari is tied to Malihabad near Lucknow. It has a thin skin, a sweet, even taste and little fibre, and it is one of the most widely traded mangoes in north India. Langra, associated with Varanasi, surprises first-time buyers because the skin often stays green even when the fruit is ripe, so colour is a poor guide to ripeness. Chausa arrives late in the season and is very juicy; many people eat it by squeezing it gently and sucking out the pulp.
We list a Dasheri mango page as well. Stock follows that variety's own season, so check the page before you plan an order.
Himsagar and Totapuri: east and south
Himsagar is a small, sweet, low-fibre mango from West Bengal, with a short season. Totapuri is named for its parrot-beak shape. It is firmer and tangier than Alphonso, so it is more often used in pickles, drinks and pulp than eaten in slices. APEDA lists Alphonso, Totapuri, Neelum and Kesar among the varieties used for mango pulp.
Our Totapuri mango page covers that firmer, tangy type.
How to choose between Indian mango varieties
- Eating in slices: Alphonso, Dashehari and Himsagar suit soft, low-fibre eating.
- Aamras and milkshakes: Kesar and Alphonso blend smoothly.
- Pickle, panha and cooking: firm, tangy types such as Totapuri hold their shape.
- Gifting: pick a variety with a name the receiver knows; Alphonso is the usual choice.
- Out of season: Alphonso pulp tins are available all year; see the Alphonso Mango Pulp Tin.
Ask any seller the same three questions whatever the variety: where it was grown, how it was ripened, and how many fruits are in the box. Our guide on how to identify Alphonso mango explains what to look for.
Indian mango season: what ripens when
Southern varieties often come first, followed by Alphonso on the Konkan coast, then Kesar, and finally the north Indian types through the monsoon months. If you want a variety outside its window, the practical answer is pulp rather than cold-stored fruit. See our mango season guide for more.
People also ask
How many mango varieties are there in India?
There is no single official count. Commonly quoted figures run from about a thousand to over fifteen hundred named types, because one fruit can carry several local names. Only a few dozen are grown on a commercial scale, and fewer still are sold nationwide.
Are Alphonso and Hapus the same mango?
Yes. Hapus (also written Aamba or Hapoos) is the Marathi name for Alphonso. It is the same variety. The name Alphonso comes from Afonso de Albuquerque. The Konkan belt of Ratnagiri and Devgad is where our Alphonso is grown, and it carries GI No. 139.
Which Indian mango is best for aamras and pulp?
Kesar and Alphonso are the usual choices for aamras because the pulp blends smoothly. For large-scale pulp, APEDA lists Alphonso, Totapuri, Neelum and Kesar among the varieties used. Firm, tangy Totapuri is common in processing; Alphonso pulp is sold in tins on our site all year.
When is the mango season in India?
It moves with the variety and the state. Alphonso is harvested about February to June, with the best supply from March to May. Kesar follows in May and June, and north Indian types such as Dashehari, Langra and Chausa arrive from about June into August. Our 2027 Alphonso season opens on 1 February 2027.
Related searches
- Alphonso mango GI tag explained
- How many mango varieties in India
- Which mango is best for you
- Kesar mango box
- Alphonso mango pulp tin
- Mango season guide
- How to identify real Alphonso mango
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia, Mango.
- Wikipedia, Alphonso mango.
- Wikipedia, Gir Kesar.
- APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority), Mango Pulp, accessed October 2026.
Written by Prashant Powle, founder of AlphonsoMango.in. Last reviewed October 2026.