Air India's 'Mango Express' takes flight: Premium Indian mangoes head to global markets from Mumbai
Mumbai, June 5
On a humid evening in Mumbai, as Air India's widebody aircraft prepare for their overnight departures to London, New York and Frankfurt, the cargo holds below the passenger cabins are filled with an unlikely but eagerly awaited traveller: boxes of carefully packed mangoes, their fragrance contained but unmistakable.
Each year, as India's summer ripens, this ritual resumes. In 2026, the scale has been striking.
According to the release, between March and May 2026, Air India transported more than 3,300 tonnes of fresh produce across its network.
Over 1,000 tonnes of that cargo consisted of mangoes, the fruit that occupies a near-mythic place in India's culinary and cultural imagination, and an equally cherished one among diaspora communities abroad, as per the release.
In March, as the first consignments began to move, Air India carried 805 tonnes of fruits and vegetables. By April, at the peak of the harvest, that number had risen to 1,275 tonnes, before remaining strong in May at 1,233 tonnes.
Much of this volume traces back to India's western belt, particularly the mango farms of Maharashtra and Gujarat, where the Alphonso and Kesar varieties are grown. Revered for their sweetness, texture and aroma, these mangoes command loyal followings from Dubai to New Jersey.
And it is Mumbai, with its proximity to this agricultural heartland, that becomes the season's logistical nerve centre.
From the city's cargo terminals, shipments fan outward across continents. During these three months, London Heathrow saw as much as 180 tonnes of weekly uplift from Mumbai during peak weeks. Frankfurt received around 40 tonnes, while Dubai, Newark and New York JFK each absorbed roughly 30 tonnes weekly.
In West Asian cities such as Dubai, Indian mangoes arrive at markets where familiarity runs deep. In London and New York, their appearance signals the start of a brief but intense retail window, where speciality grocers stack crates high, and customers buy in bulk, often sending them onwards again to friends and family.
From Delhi, Air India's aircraft continue to carry perishables to cities as far-flung as San Francisco, Toronto, Paris, Hong Kong and Sydney, embedding Indian produce into global supply chains that are commercial in function, yet emotional in significance.
The airline today handles over 400,000 tonnes of cargo annually, making it India's largest international cargo operator
Produce arrives at airport terminals in refrigerated trucks, coordinated by IATA-approved agents. At origin, it is stored in temperature-controlled environments, typically maintained between 15°C and 25°C, before being loaded into specialised pallets and containers. The process repeats itself after landing, where temperature-regulated handling continues until final delivery.
The airline operates cold-storage and active-container capabilities across 14 airports, including major hubs such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, London Heathrow, Frankfurt, and New York's JFK and Newark airports
Supporting equipment, from cool dollies to thermal blankets, helps ensure temperature stability is maintained even during brief but critical moments on the tarmac. These facilities are GDP-certified, aligning them with global standards for handling temperature-sensitive cargo.
"Transporting over 1,000 tonnes of mangoes in just three months reflects both the scale of demand and the robustness of our cold-chain processes," said Ramesh Mamidala, Head of Cargo, Air India.
"Perishables require meticulous handling, and our teams work closely with partners to maintain consistency and quality at every step."
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a mango lover growing up in Mumbai, this makes me emotional 🥭 The smell of Alphonso mangoes in our kitchen during summer is something I'll never forget. But honestly, I hope the prices don't skyrocket for us locals because of all this export. In some markets, good mangoes are already ₹300-400 per kg. Air India should also think about domestic distribution – many tier-2 cities don't get fresh produce easily.
Great to see Indian infrastructure improving. But I have a concern – are our small farmers actually benefiting from this? These big cargo operations usually work with large exporters. The average farmer in Ratnagiri still sells at local mandis. If Air India wants to truly help, they should set up collection points at farm gates with cold storage. Otherwise it's just corporate gain at the top, while the real toil happens on the fields.
I lived in New York for 5 years and every summer I'd scour Indian groceries for real Alphonsos. The ones that arrive here in the UK are often picked before they're ripe, so the taste isn't as rich as what you get in Mumbai. 😕 But the article mentions temperature control from farm to flight – that's promising. If this means genuinely tree-ripened mangoes in London supermarkets, I'm thrilled. Nothing compares to a properly ripe Kesar mango.
Air India should be praised for this initiative – 1000 tonnes of mangoes is no small feat! But I wonder about the carbon footprint. Flying mangoes thousands of miles for our diaspora abroad while we have plenty of local produce here feels unsustainable. The article mentions Delhi sending produce to Sydney and Toronto – that's half the world! Maybe we need a balance between cultural connection and environmental responsibility.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.