Skip the market: ‘Rent’ a mango tree and enjoy 90kg of mangoes this summer

As summer settles in, mangoes once again become a regular part of daily life in India. From street vendors to dinner tables, the focus usually stays on taste, price, and variety. This year, however, there is an added layer to these conversations.A new idea is slowly gaining attention, where people are not just buying mangoes but are instead choosing to be connected to a single tree for the entire season.A Kochi-based startup is offering a service where customers can lease a mango tree for one season.The process remains straightforward. People can go online, look at trees listed across different orchards, and pick one. According to a report by India Today, the starting cost is around ₹10,300.In return, the customer receives the full produce from that tree for the season. The quantity can go up to 90 kilograms of mangoes, depending on how much the tree yields.The orchards involved are located in mango-growing regions such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, according to a report by News18.Farmers continue to handle all the work related to the trees. This includes taking care of them and harvesting the fruit. The mangoes are allowed to ripen naturally before they are picked.Once ready, the fruit is packed and delivered to the customer’s home. The entire process happens without the customer needing to visit the farm.The concept has drawn attention mainly because it is different from the usual way of buying fruit.One user shared, “Never in my life did I think that ‘I own a mango tree in Kerala’ would be a flex from someone sitting in a Mumbai apartment.”Another user spoke about the broader idea behind it, saying, “This is a brilliant example of how simple ideas can reconnect people with nature and agriculture. Urban consumers get access to fresh, seasonal produce while farmers or landowners get a steady income without worrying about market price fluctuations. Models like this could also help preserve local orchards and encourage sustainable farming. If scaled well, initiatives like Rent A Tree could reshape how we think about food ownership and farm-to-home supply chains.”Thumb image: Canva (for representative purposes only)