A couple in India have hired security guards and watchdogs to protect their prized Miyazaki mango trees.
A couple in India have hired security guards and watchdogs to protect their prized Miyazaki mango trees.
A couple in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh have hired four security guards and six watchdogs to protect what is perhaps their most prized possession – two Miyazaki mango trees.
According to the orchardists Sankalp Parihar and his wife Rani, a customer in Mumbai recently offered Rs 21,000 ($283) for one kilogram of the Japanese variety of the fruit.
“Some people told me that the variety of mango sold at Rs 2.70 lakh ($3641) per kilogram in the market last year. A customer from Mumbai has offered me Rs 21,000 ($283),” said Parihar.
When the couple planted two saplings years ago, they had no idea that the tree would bear ruby-colored Japanese mangoes.
Miyazaki mangoes are said to be one of the most expensive mangoes globally. They are called ‘Eggs of Sunshine’ due to their shape and flaming red color.
Local thieves had broken into their orchards and tried to steal saplings after word spread about the exotic fruit. The couple has now hired security and employed guard gods to prevent theft of this rare fruit.
Miyazaki mangoes get their name from the Miyazaki prefecture in Japan, where they are grown. Warm temperatures, fertile land and plenty of rain make this area perfect for growing this fruit. The variety is cultivated around April to August and sold between May and June.
Farmers in that region started cultivating this variety of mango in 1985. While more and more farms joined the experiment, they faced challenges in protecting this delicate fruit from bruising easily. After trial and error, farmers devised ways like placing nets under the trees and around the fruit to keep their precious bounty intact. A ripe Miyazaki mango has a high sugar content of at least 15 percent.
The price of Miyazaki mangoes generally peaks during the wholesale auctions between April-June.
“Mangoes are generally high in sugar content and should be eaten in a limited quantity. People with diabetes should not eat mangoes of any variety in large quantities. However, besides the high sugar content, mangoes are rich in nutrients and provide many dietary benefits,” says Jasleen Kaur, a Delhi-based dietician and nutritionist.
Kaur says that all mangoes are a good source of antioxidants, beta-carotene, vitamin A and C and folic acid.
India has a wide variety of mangoes that differ in taste, shape and size. The alphonso mango, with its high sugar content and unique flavor is highly-prized across the world.
(ANI)
(Edited by Ojaswin Kathuria and Anindita Ghosh)
