India’s prized Alphonso mango crop ruined by weather
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- Maharashtra suffered an estimated 85‑90% loss of its 2026 Alphonso mango harvest after extreme temperature swings and El Nino, according to a government‑backed survey.
- Komal Walke, a 26‑year‑old horticulturist in Devgad, is forced to buy fruit from larger farms to fulfill online grocery orders after her 1.2‑ha orchard yielded almost no Alphonso mangoes in 2026.
- Bapusaheb Manikrao Lambade, a government agriculture officer in Devgad, linked the crop failure to a sharp day‑night temperature difference in Dec‑Jan and unusually hot Apr‑May weather.
- Shridhar Pathak, co‑founder of exporter Shreevali Agro, says freight costs have more than doubled and Gulf shipments have fallen nearly 40% in 2026 due to war‑related disruptions and the mango shortfall.
- India's mango sector was valued at $2.3 billion in 2025, and US$80 million of mango pulp were exported that year, per Mordor Intelligence.
Why it matters: Maharashtra mango growers lose 85‑90% of their 2026 Alphonso harvest, cutting the sector’s $2.3 billion value and pushing freight costs higher, while online grocers risk stockouts.
