India’s ‘King Of Mangoes’ Hit By Climate And Trade Crisis

India’s famous Alphonso mango industry is facing one of its toughest seasons in decades, with growers in Maharashtra reporting catastrophic crop losses linked to extreme weather and export disruption.

The Alphonso mango — widely regarded as the “king of mangoes” — has seen production collapse by as much as 85-90 per cent in some growing regions, according to a government-backed survey in Devgad, one of Maharashtra’s leading production areas.

Farmers say erratic weather conditions severely damaged flowering and fruit development earlier in the season. Agriculture officials reported that sharp swings between daytime and night-time temperatures during December and January disrupted flowering, while unusually high temperatures during April and May spoiled fruit development. Officials believe the conditions were intensified by the El Niño weather phenomenon.

India is the world’s largest mango producer, growing around 28 million metric tonnes during the 2024-25 season, according to CRISIL data. Maharashtra is particularly renowned for Alphonso mangoes, a premium variety prized both domestically and internationally for their flavour, aroma and colour.

The crisis is now rippling across the wider supply chain.

Komal Walke, a horticulturist in Devgad, told Reuters her family’s orchard had produced “almost no” Alphonso mangoes this year, forcing the business to source fruit elsewhere simply to fulfil supermarket and online grocery orders.

At the same time, exporters are battling mounting logistical disruption linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, which has affected freight routes and export demand across Gulf markets. Exporters reported shipping delays, cancellations and sharply rising freight costs, with some businesses seeing export volumes fall by almost 40 per cent.

The combined impact has created an unusual market dynamic, with reduced exports pushing more fruit into domestic markets, despite significantly lower production volumes.

The economic consequences are being felt well beyond orchards. Packaging manufacturers and businesses dependent on the seasonal mango trade are also reporting severe losses.

One carton manufacturer in Maharashtra told Reuters he had almost 100,000 unsold mango boxes remaining in storage this year.

Industry groups and growers have increasingly linked the situation to wider climate pressures affecting agricultural production across India. Earlier reports from Maharashtra growers warned that rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and changing seasonal weather patterns were already affecting Alphonso mango flowering cycles and overall yields.

India’s mango market was valued at around £1.8 billion last year and had been forecast to continue expanding strongly over the coming years.