Pune May 22
As summer sets in, mango lovers across the country indulge in seasonal delights like Hapus, Pairi, Lalbagh, and Keshar.
But one farmer in Pune has taken his passion for mangoes to a global scale, cultivating rare and exotic varieties, including the world-famous Miyazaki mango from Japan.
Farooq Inamdar, a farmer and former local politician from Varvand village of Pune district in Maharashtra, has successfully grown 120 mango trees on just 20 gunthas (half an acre) of land. Of these, 90 are international varieties, while 30 are native to India.
Among his prized collections is the Miyazaki mango, renowned for its exorbitant price, fetching as much as Rs2.7 lakh per kilo in Japan and around Rs1.5 lakh per kilo in India.
Inamdar's journey toward cultivating these rare species began during a pilgrimage to the Hajj, where he witnessed a vast selection of mangoes from around the world. Inspired, he imported saplings from various countries and began growing them on his farm in Pune.
Two years later, the trees have successfully borne fruit, with his farm now hosting global varieties such as Red African, Red Taiwan, Arunika, Banana Mango, A2 R2 from Australia, Katomoni and Shahjahan from Bangladesh, and the sought-after Miyazaki.
While most exotic mangoes command several thousand rupees per kilo, Miyazaki stands out for its premium pricing. A single kilo contains four to six mangoes, each weighing approximately 300 grams.
Inamdar also highlighted another high-yielding tree, "Koyatur," which produces 8-10 kilos of mangoes per season and fetches prices between Rs1,500 and Rs5,000 per fruit.
Encouraged by his success, he plans to expand his efforts by cultivating even more rare mango varieties worldwide. Inamdar also clarified that although he is getting several demands from online buyers for his mangoes, he decided to use all the mangoes this time for his consumption.
— ANI
Reader Comments
What an inspiring story! This shows how Indian farmers can innovate and compete globally 🌟. Though Rs 2.7 lakh per kilo sounds crazy, it proves there's a market for premium produce if quality is maintained. Hope more farmers take such initiatives!
While this is impressive, I wonder about the water consumption for these exotic varieties in drought-prone Maharashtra. Our native Alphonso and Kesar are already water-intensive. Hope the farmer is using sustainable irrigation methods.
Miyazaki mangoes at Rs 1.5L/kg? 😳 That's more than my 6 months' salary! But seriously, this could be a great export opportunity for India. Japan pays premium prices - if more farmers grow these, maybe prices will become reasonable for us common people.
Love that he's preserving Indian varieties too alongside international ones. Our desi mangoes have unique flavors that shouldn't be lost in this global experiment. The Bangladeshi varieties mentioned sound interesting - we share so much agricultural heritage with our neighbors.
Respect to the farmer for not selling online despite demand! Shows passion over profit. Though I wish he'd sell just a few so food scientists could study these varieties for possible adaptation to Indian conditions. Could be a game-changer for agriculture.
The Hajj pilgrimage angle is fascinating - shows how global exposure can benefit local farming. Maybe agricultural universities should organize more international exchange programs for our farmers. The cross-pollination of ideas (pun intended!) can yield sweet results ðŸ¥
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.