'Kesar' Mango: Spreading Gujarati sweetness across the globe

By Dhiraj Beniwal
Gir Somnath (Gujarat) [India], May 4 : Gujarat is known for its world-famous sweetness, be it its people or its cuisine. This sweetness is spread around the world through a special breed of Gujarati mango called 'Kesar'.
Not only is this mango bringing a unique taste to the world, but it is also helping the country earn foreign exchange. Last year, 30 metric tonnes of Kesar Mango were exported.
Kesar is a breed of mango that is primarily grown and harvested in the Gir area of Gujarat. Farmers in different talukas of Gir are predominantly engaged in Kesar Mango cultivation, having abandoned sugarcane farming. The reason behind this shift is that Kesar Mango is highly sought after for its exceptional taste, aroma, and colour, and it also offers good returns to the farmers.

Talala is a major market for the sale and purchase of Kesar Mango. It has an Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) market where farmers sell their produce through middlemen. Farmers get a price for their produce which may vary from Rs 100 to 150 per kg as per the quality.
Kapil, an APMC member, told ANI that "60,000 to 70,000 Kg of Kesar Mango reach the market every day. This market has a capacity of 6-7 lakh KG of mangoes per day. The price of a 10 kg carton may vary from Rs 700 to 1400 depending upon the supply and quality of the produce. We sell this mango in domestic as well as international markets of the UK, Canada, US, and Australia."
Jharia Bhimsingh, a local farmer, said that mangoes are harvested on almost 20-25,000 acres of land in the Gir area.
Buyers from other places like Ahmedabad come here to purchase Kesar Mango. Raju, a purchaser from Ahmedabad, told ANI that he generally buys 50-100 cartons of different quality to sell at their retail outlet in Ahmedabad. After deducting all expenses, he earns a profit of Rs 100 to 200 per kg.
On 60 percent of the agricultural land, farmers are harvesting Kesar Mango because of its demand and good price.
Sanjay Singhala, a mango exporter and APMC market president told ANI that "the major portion of the produce is being exported to different countries like the UK, Canada, and others. Last year, 30 metric tonnes of Kesar Mango were exported."
Earlier, on average, a farmer was earning around Rs one lakh from one acre of land. This year, the quantity will remain very less as the crop this year is not good because of bad weather conditions. The supply is less this year and the price will increase due to less supply.