Kolkata’s bitter-sweet mango season: Scarcity, price hikes, and the battle for authenticity

As the city grapples with the summer heat, its mango markets are facing high demand met by supply shortages and pricing debates. From local favourites like Himsagar to the premium Alphonso, vendors are navigating a market where quality and authenticity come at a steep cost.

The scarcity of local favourites

The primary challenge in Kolkata is the limited arrival of West Bengal’s most favourite varieties. Soumen Dey, a shopkeeper at Shiv Fruit Centre says, “The market is struggling to keep up with regional preferences. The most sought after mangoes – Himsagar and Golapkhash – are arriving in far smaller quantities than usual, pushing prices up sharply.”

This scarcity is reflected in a broader upward trend in pricing across the city. According to Rakshit Mittal, shopkeeper at Mango Bliss says that there is a measurable rise in costs due to agricultural factors. He states, "The price of mango has increased as there has been less crop growth than last year so, there is a 1.5% increase in price.” While adding that Ratnagiri and Devgad varieties see the highest footfall at his shop.

The Alphonso authenticity crisis

For those seeking the premium Alphonso (Hapus), the find is a bit challenging as the market is flooded with lower-quality look-alikes. Mukesh Gupta, a city shopkeeper mentions that the original Konkan fruit is often limited. "The Alphonso mango from Konkan is the original one," Gupta asserts, adding, "The South's mangoes are often considered duplicates because, while they may look the same, there is a significant difference in taste".

To this, Rajesh from a local fruit market adds, “While other regions use grafts to produce a higher yield, it lacks the true Hapus flavour, leading to pricing disputes with customers.” Customers often say, “Somewhere else it is available at a lesser rate... have you put gold in your mangoes?” Rajesh shares, noting his rates for pure Ratnagiri and Devgad stock remain steady between ₹2000 and ₹2500 per dozen.

The duplicate dilemma and export quality

The duplicate problem runs deeper than lookalike fruit. According to Umesh Gupta, local mangoes are often passed off under premium labels entirely. "Local mangoes from Kerala are often sold as Ratnagiri or Alphonso, but they do not have the same taste as the ones from Ratnagiri and Devgad," he said.

Meanwhile, the finest certified stock rarely reaches local stalls at all. Bapi Das, a shopkeeper from Jadavpur, noted that export demand siphons off the best produce. "The best Ratnagiri and Devgad mangoes are often export quality and go outside," he said. To reassure quality-conscious buyers, he offers a replacement guarantee, "If any fruit is found to be bad, we even offer a return/replacement" — a move aimed squarely at the trust deficit the duplicate market has created.

As the season progresses, Calcutta's shoppers must choose between the high prices of the scarce local Himsagar or the gold-standard prices of authentic Alphonso, all while remaining vigilant against the duplicates filling the gaps in the market.

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