Once upon a time, there was a man who was traveling on a train to Chennai when he met somebody who offered him a mango plant and asked him to take care of it like his own baby. The man heeded the advice and planted the mango.
The mango was a Japanese variety called Miyazaki, which is the costliest mango on the Earth – costing upto Rs. 2.7 lakh (around USD 3600) per kg!
Did the man live happily ever after, selling the mangoes? Is this a fairy tale?
This is not a fairy tale. This is a true story.
The man and his wife live in Madhya Pradesh and grow this mango.
The couple informed the media that, last year, people stole mangoes from their orchard when news about its exorbitant price spread. However, this year, they have deployed security guards and dogs to protect this rare mango plantation.
About Miyazaki mango
It is believed that this “fairytale” variety of mango began to be cultivated in Japan’s Miyazakin city in 1984. It is marketed as “Taiyo-no-Tomago” or “Eggs of Sunshine.”
Features of Miyazaki mango
Miyazaki mango is huge in size, weighing a minimum of 350 grams, with more than 15% of sugar content.
Its skin is fiery red. The fruit appears like a dinosaur egg.
In Japan, this mango is given as a prized gift. It is also used in recipes like pasta, parfaits, puddings, and curries.
Cultivation of Miyazaki mango
This mango crop requires warm weather and continuous bright sunshine, coupled with lots of rainfall. This variety of mango is available from April to August. They peak during months of May and June.
The specialty in its cultivation is that the mango is not plucked by hand during harvest. You need to wrap each fruit with a net bag and just let it stay suspended to the tree. The mango, when ripe, will pluck itself and slid into the bag. You can then collect the mangoes.
Growers of this mango believe that, if you hand pluck this mango, it loses its taste and nutrition.
Why is this mango so expensive?
You may be wondering what’s so special in this mango that it costs lakhs of rupees. The mangoes are great in taste and are incredibly sweet. As you prick the skin of this mango with a knife, the juice of this fruit starts oozing out. This means the fruit is highly juicy and sweet.
You just can’t wait to sink your teeth into the juicy sweet pulp of this precious mango!
But wait; just check your bank balance. You must have up to 3 lakh rupees to buy this mango!
Interesting facts about Miyazaki mango
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Miyazaki is a kind of “Irwin” mango and is the dominant product in the Japanese market today.
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These mangoes sold at a whopping Rs. 2.7 lakh per kg in the international market last year, as per media reports from Japan.
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The peak season of this mango is from April to August.
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Talking of mango health benefits, this mango is loaded with beta-carotene, folic acid, and antioxidants. Due to the presence of beta-carotene, this fruit is great for eye health.
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The mangoes pass through a stringent testing and checking process before they are exported outside Japan. The mangoes that pass this test are called “Eggs of the Sun.”
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These mangoes are not green or yellow, nor slightly red. They are a fiery red that attracts the eye and are huge in size. They are a gem!
So, how much can you spend on a mango? Are you ready to shell out Rs.2.7 lakh for a kg of this delicious fruit? For the love of mango!
Also read how to identify top 10 mango varieties.
