The Great Indian Mango Obsession

Published on 01 July, 2026

India doesn't just eat mangoes. We wait for them. We argue about them. We gift them. We remember summers because of them.

Every summer, India changes. Fruit stalls turn yellow. Families buy mangoes by the crate. People recommend "the best mango seller." Everyone suddenly is a mango expert.Because in India, mangoes aren't just fruit.

They're an obsession.

Those few months everyone loses their mind. Unlike bananas. Mangoes are seasonal. The seasonality creates anticipation.

SEASONAL AVAILABILITY

Visaulisation of mango and banana seasonality in India

Meet the Mangoes

Not all mangoes are created equal. Each one has its own flavour, texture, season and a fan following. I made a mango matrix to compare the ones I've had.

MANGO MATRIX

Radial polar chart comparing different mangoes

Made with Flourish and Adobe Illustrator

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. India has hundreds of mango varieties, each with a unique taste. Across the country, hundreds of varieties thrive in different landscapes, each with its own flavour and texture.

MANGO VARITIES ACROSS INDIA

Mango production by states in India 2025-26

Source: National Horticulture Board • Made with QGIS and Adobe Illustrator

Some states don't just grow great mangoes-they grow a lot of them. A handful of states account for most of the country's harvest.

MANGO PRODUCTION BY STATES FOR 2025-26 (In thousand metric tonnes)

Source: Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare • Made with QGIS

Source: TradeImex • Made with Flourish and Adobe Illustrator

The World's Mango Giant

India is the world's largest mango producer. In 2024, the country produced 26.3 million metric tonnes, almost as much as all the other top mango-producing countries combined.

Not all mangoes make it to the table

Losses add up at every stage of the journey - from harvesting and transportation to storage, wholesale markets, and retail shelves. By the time a mango reaches the table, a significant share has already been lost.

Almost everything stays home

Despite producing more mangoes than any other country, India exports only about 30,000 metric tonnes or 0.11% approx of its annual production. The rest is sold and consumed within the country because we simply can't get enough of mangoes.

Where do Indian Mangoes go?

The small share that leaves India travels far. Indian mangoes make their way to markets across the world, with the United Arab Emirates, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United States among the biggest importers.

MANGO EXPORTS FROM INDIA (In metric tonnes)

Visualisation of Indian mango exports by country

Source: Firstpost • Made with Flourish and Adobe Illustrator

Which mango is the best?

Everyone has a favourite mango, but that favourite usually depends on where you grew up. The mangoes you ate as a child often become the benchmark for every mango that follows.

An illustrative image of mango favourites

Next time you have a mango, use this matrix to compare and evaluate different varieties.

THE MANGO MATRIX

A mango matrix for the next time you try a mango