One of the finest mangoes of South India is the hugely popular Banaganapalle mango grown extensively in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Also known as Banaganapalli by the locals, this mango is unique to the Banaganapalli village in Kurnool district.
According to historians, as Banaganapalli was the capital of a princely state of the same name, the ruling Nawabs took a great deal of interest in the development of their jagir. This mango was planted centuries ago in the orchards established by the rulers that are now a commercial success.
This native mango thrives in the dry regions of Andhra and Telangana and is grown in Kurnool, Anantapur, Kadapa and Chittoor districts and coastal Andhra region as well as in Khammam, Mahabubnagar, Ranga Reddy, Medak and Adilabad districts in Telangana. These regions generally have black and red soils with good drainage and are rich in organic matter with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5 that is conducive for mango cultivation.
The fruits are harvested in the early hours of the morning before the sun starts beating down. The fruits are collected in crates and kept in the shade till it is ready to be transported. The fruits are sorted according to its physical characteristics and subjected to the important process of de-sapping. They are thoroughly washed, cleaned, graded, dried and packed in cartons.
Banaganapalle mangoes are widely considered to be one of the finest dessert mangoes produced in the country. The heady aroma, delectable taste, physical characteristics like size, shape and appearance are specific to this indigenous variety.
These mangoes are large in size, oblique to obliquely oval in shape with a thin skin dotted with light spots and a vibrant golden yellow colour. The pulpy fibreless texture, sweetness, moderate juice content and good keep quality makes this mango a fast seller in domestic and international markets.
Banaganapalle mango is used as a table fruit all over the world. It is estimated that over 24.35 lakh tonnes of mangoes are produced each year in Andhra Pradesh alone and about 5,500 tonnes are exported to USA, UK and Central Asia. The approximate annual turnover of this delicious mango is roughly about Rs 1,461 crores and the annual value of exports is pegged at Rs 20.68 crores. Around 8 lakh families are involved in the cultivation of Banaganapalle mangoes.
Banaganapalle mango received the Geographical Indication Tag (GI) in 2017.
Written by Lakshmi Subramanian
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