Know where your Alphonso comes from. This is our year-round Education & Alphonso Knowledge Hub — a place to understand Ratnagiri Alphonso / Hapus, how it is sourced, how it is harvested and ripened, how it moves through our packhouse, and what consumers should know before buying fresh mangoes.
Ratnagiri Alphonso: origin, identity and GI
Ratnagiri Alphonso is associated with the Konkan region of Maharashtra. The official Geographical Indications registry records Alphonso as a registered GI and also records Ratnagiri Alphonso Mango as a merged application entry. We will use this page to explain what GI registration does and does not mean, without treating GI status as a blanket certification for every mango sold under the name.
View the official Alphonso GI record → · View the official Ratnagiri Alphonso Mango record →
How our Ratnagiri Alphonso is sourced
Our fresh Alphonso is sourced from our registered FPC farmer members in Ratnagiri district, mainly from Lanja, Ratnagiri and Sangameshwar talukas. Some members have individual trees and some have orchards. Many of the farms have old, large trees, while some have younger trees whose height is maintained.
Our mangoes are traceable to the farmer level. We record the farmer, village, harvest information, grade and batch information through the supply chain.
From tree to box
- Harvest: About 90% of the mangoes are hand-plucked from the trees while still green, at the maturity stage recognised by experienced farmers.
- Morning and shade handling: Fruit is harvested early in the morning, kept in tree shade and taken to the farmer's home while protected from direct sun. Naturally dropped fruit is not used.
- Packhouse: Each mango is weighed and checked for deformity before grading.
- Controlled ripening: Graded mangoes enter controlled ripening chambers for approximately four days.
- Second inspection: After ripening, every mango is checked again, weighed and graded again.
- Packing: Mangoes are placed in a printed, branded, ventilated corrugated box with individual fruit-net protection.
Why controlled ripening?
Mango is a climacteric fruit that can be ripened under controlled conditions. Our aim is consistency: the fruit is ripened in a controlled chamber so that the ripening process is more uniform before dispatch. We then deliver the mangoes ready to eat.
FSSAI's guidance distinguishes permitted controlled ripening practices from prohibited carbide/acetylene ripening. Calcium carbide use for artificial ripening is prohibited under the cited food-safety regulations, while FSSAI guidance discusses the controlled use of ethylene within specified conditions.
Read FSSAI's guidance on artificial ripening of fruits →
Calcium carbide and mango ripening: what consumers should know
This section explains the difference between controlled ripening and prohibited ripening practices, what consumers should look for, and why buying from a known, traceable source matters. FSSAI reiterated in 2026 that calcium carbide (“masala”) is prohibited for artificial ripening of fruits such as mangoes.
Read the 2026 FSSAI advisory →
How to identify and enjoy ripe Alphonso
Our fresh boxes are dispatched after controlled ripening. Customers can start eating the mangoes when the box arrives. Around 4–5 mangoes from a box can be eaten on the day of delivery.
- Look for the characteristic ripe skin colour and aroma.
- Keep the mangoes refrigerated in the middle or vegetable compartment.
- Do not keep mangoes in the freezer.
- Take out only the quantity you intend to eat and keep the rest chilled.
- Consume the box within approximately seven days of delivery when refrigerated.
Understanding Alphonso grades
Our online store offers four grades. The outer box size is the same; fruit size changes the approximate count and weight.
| Grade | Approx. weight after ripening | Approx. mangoes / box | Previous-season reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Jumbo | 270+ g | 17–19 | ₹2,200 |
| Jumbo | 240–270 g | 20–22 | ₹2,100 |
| Large | 210–240 g | 23–25 | ₹2,050 |
| Regular | 190–210 g | 26–28 | ₹2,000 |
Approximate total box weight is 5.1–5.5 kg. Medium and Small grades are not offered through our online store. Final seasonal prices are announced when the season begins; previous-season prices are provided only as a reference.
Ratnagiri-sourced vs non-Ratnagiri-sourced Alphonso
Consumers often want to know whether the Alphonso being sold as “Ratnagiri Alphonso” actually comes from Ratnagiri. This is where traceability matters. Rather than judging another mango only by appearance, ask where it was sourced, whether the seller can explain the supply chain, and whether the fruit can be traced back to a documented source.
Our own approach is straightforward: source from registered FPC farmer members in Ratnagiri district and maintain farmer-level records through the packhouse process.
Traditional market purchase vs traceable FPC sourcing
| Traditional anonymous purchase | Our FPC sourcing approach | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | May not be clear to the customer | Ratnagiri district farmer-member sourcing |
| Traceability | Depends on the seller | Farmer-level records |
| Grading | Depends on seller practice | Individual weighing and grading |
| Ripening | Depends on supply chain | Controlled ripening process |
| Post-ripening check | Depends on seller practice | Second inspection, weighing and grading |
Common market malpractices: what should consumers watch for?
We will use this section for factual consumer education about documented problems such as origin misrepresentation, unsafe ripening practices, poor handling and misleading grading. We will not name or accuse individual sellers without reliable evidence. The purpose is to help customers ask better questions and make informed purchases.
Spongy tissue and other internal quality issues
Alphonso can sometimes develop internal quality problems that are not obvious from the outside. We will explain spongy tissue, why internal disorders can be difficult to identify visually, and what customers should do if they encounter a problem.
Our fresh-mango issue process
Because this is a fresh agricultural product, please record an opening video when you receive your box and keep photographs of the box and affected mangoes. Report visible fresh-mango issues within 24 hours. Internal issues such as spongy tissue can be reported within 7 days. Each case is reviewed individually.
Harvest, farmers and real stories
This page will grow with real photographs and videos from our farmer members and packhouse: mangoes on trees, harvesting, weighing, sorting, grading, ripening, packing and completed boxes.
This season at a glance
During the season, this section will carry current harvest updates, grade availability, city booking progress, pickup/delivery windows, photographs, videos and other timely updates.
Recipes, videos, blogs and social updates
Alphonso recipes, serving ideas, videos, farmer stories and social-media content will be collected here as the content library grows. Detailed articles will continue to live in the Knowledge Centre, with Alphonso-related articles surfaced here.
Want to reserve a box?
Fresh Ratnagiri Alphonso is a seasonal product. Pre-booking is designed around city-wise demand and delivery windows.