Goa originally had 135 varieties of mangoes from which only 77 varieties exist today among the 125 varieties that have made way from across the country. The mango tree can live for over a 100 years. Goa is blessed with many varieties of mangoes including the much renowned Mancurad, Ratnagiri, Alphonso, Nicola Afonso, Xavier, Hilario, Ferdinand and Monserrate. Mango is also a key fruit in the several food festivals organized in the state during summer. The festivals have beverages, soups, salads, savouries, pastries and cakes, all with mango as a key ingredient. The mango is also used as an ingredient for face packs, body scrubs and even foot massages.
There is a lot of awareness about the mango fruit and tree in recent times. The All Goa Mango Growers’ Association with approximately 40 farmers was formed in 2022. Goa’s famous Mankurad bagged the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai in August 2023. The application for the mankurad mango was filed by the All Goa Mango Growers Association, Panjim. This variety of mango is also known as malcorada, cardozo mankurad, corado, and Goa mankur. The Portuguese named the fruit malcorada, which means ‘poor coloured’, and with time, it became mankurad (mango) in Konkani. This year, on May 25, it became the first mango of Goan origin to be exported. India ranks eight as an exporter of fresh mangoes to the world market.
Miguel Braganza, a member of the Botanical Society of Goa says, “The Mankurad is the first mango to hit the market, often at a whopping price for the first fruits. This year, it became the first mango of Goan origin to be exported from Goa. The credit for the export of three hundred boxes of Mankurad mangoes from Mopa Airport (GOX), Goa, goes to Kay Bee Exports. The mangoes were procured from local farmer growing them in Sattari. This is a significant breakthrough for facilitated by Nevil Alphonso and Shrikant Mone, Directorate of Agriculture along with Dattaprasad Desai and Nestor Rangel, both members of the GCCI Agriculture Committee in the last term. The export was made hassle free by APEDA (Agricultural Produce Export Development Agency). Earlier, Goa achieved a new milestone by shipping its first one-tonne Alphonso mango consignment from Manohar International Airport to Muscat in Oman.”
He further adds that there is demand for the mango but the quantity is unavailable as the trees were usually planted for local consumption. “There has to be organised conditions for mango plantations in Goa. If there is only one variety of mangoes grown in a farm, there is full control over the harvest. This year, 300 dozens of mankurad mangoes were exported from Francis Pinto’s farm in Naneli, Valpoi. Even though the mankurad has received the GI Tag, no one knows about the mango unless more awareness is created about the variety, in Goa and outside Goa. For farmers, it becomes easy to export one variety of mangoes. There are farmers from Siolim, especially the Dhargalkar family, that takes mankurad mango trees on rent from home owners from different villages in Goa, collect the mangoes and ripen them before bringing them in the market,” says Miguel.
Rakesh Singh is the manager of Valpoi Valley Botanicals Pvt Ltd from where the first batch of mankurad mangoes were exported. The farm is over 20 years old and covers 110 acres of land. “We received a great response for the mankurad mangoes. The demand increased later in the month of May when the supply was already over. The orders should come in at least by March-April. The produce matched all the requirements including pesticide residue, colour and size. The 300 trees in the farm are all original mankurad mango trees and well protected from fruit flies. The only drawback of the mankurad is the shelf life which is just 7-8 days once it reaches its destination. The mangoes were well transported in cold storage in 48 hours. The mankurad is also the only mango with a huge market fluctuation. The price drops drastically over a few days. The demand for the mangoes are right now from the Goans but anyone who tastes the mango will immediately fall in love with the fruit,” says Rakesh.
Agricultural officer from Panjim, Rena Menezes, has been instrumental in various Mango festivals over the years in Goa. She explains that there has been growing curiosity among Goans about mango trees who pose various questions. “There are many people who want to learn about different varieties of the mango trees, which varieties are popular and have high demand. The mankurad has a lot of demand especially fom abroad. It is usually the Goans who are living across the world and are missing out on the taste of the fresh produce. These mangoes have to be exported in cold storage as they perish very fast. The trees takes nearly 3-4 years to bear fruits. The tree bears fruit for 5-6 weeks and it's an alternate bearer. If it bears fruit one year then the next year it bears fresh growth or vegetation. There is a need for farmers to grow plantations with good quality of mankurad to meet the demands," says Rena.
What ails a mango tree? "There are three factors that affect mangoes especially the mankurad. If Loranthus, a green parasite (bendol) starts taking over the tree, it can destroy the tree and the fruit harvest over the years, ultimately killing the tree. It weakens the trees and sucks the sap of the mango tree. It usually grows from the seeds excreted from birds. The tree should be cleaned at least once every 3-4 years. The second reason is fungus that makes the fruit grow black spots after harvesting. This should be treated by spraying the tree, once in December and after the harvest in September. Thirdly, the tree is prone to attack by fruit flies which especially affects mangoes that ripen late, varieties like Hilario and Xaviera. There are special fruit fly traps availbale in the market which lures especially male flies," informs Miguel.
With massive tree cutting and construction, there is also a need to protect and grow fruit bearing trees with the mankurad taking a lead with the growing demand.