At this mango ‘museum’ in Gujarat, 300-plus varieties thrive

About three kilometres from the Gir forest in Gujarat, in a village called Bhalchhel, lies a 12-acre farm where the Jhariya family grows over 300 types of mangoes. This "live mango museum" is the fruit of three generations' labour. Among the varieties that can be found here are Rajwadi mangoes such as the dudhpedo, with its whitish-yellow pulp, and the kohitur—so delicate, it must be rested on a bed of cotton instead of a table. There's also the sonpari, a relative of the Alphonso, and 14 baramasi types that bear fruit multiple times a year.

Some mangoes are sweet and sour, others are intensely sweet, and there are also low-sugar varieties. The Jhariya farm features red mangoes, giant ones weighing up to five kilos, apple-shaped mangoes, banana-shaped mangoes, and even mangoes that taste like guavas, pineapples, or ones that have a hint of lemonade.

Humble beginnings

The story of this museum took root in the early 1980s, when patriarch Noor Ali Jhariya bought a piece of land and decided to grow mangoes, as they were popular in the area. Before his foray into the fruit, Noor Ali grew crops like peanut and wheat. In 1985, he planted trees largely of the Kesar variety, and there was no looking back.

Red soil, which allows for the quick spreading of roots and percolation of water, is preferred for the fruit. The Jhariyas’ first challenge was the earth itself: Their land is surrounded by mountains, with the village lying below. The Hiran river flows right beside the farm, and its rainwater often causes washouts. The black soil predominant in the area is known to hold moisture well, which makes roots vulnerable to infection. Mangoes are drought-tolerant, meaning they can grow even during dry spells, but too much water isn't good for them. To solve this, they farm on raised beds—about a foot high—so the soil drains naturally, and use drip irrigation to control how much water each plant receives.

In the early 1990s, Noor Ali's son Shamshuddin expanded the venture, establishing a mango nursery and a two-room farmhouse. He travelled across India, collecting varieties such as the langra from the north and the banganapalle from the south, and began cultivating exotic mangoes. In 1992, he acquired Sindhu, a high-pulp, thin-seed variety released by Maharashtra’s Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth. Over time, Shamshuddin sourced new varieties from institutions like the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in Delhi, the Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture in Lucknow, and the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research in Bengaluru.

Also read: Inside one of India’s biggest mango markets

Delicious experiments

Sumeet, Shamshuddin’s son, built on this growing collection by travelling overseas; one of his destinations was Japan, which grows Miyazaki mangoes—fruits that sell for Rs 2.75 lakh per kilo, making them the most expensive mangoes worldwide. Although a medium-sweet variety, their demand stems from their sweet aroma, bright colour and the sustained fascination around their high price point. The country has built greenhouses to grow the fruit, since its climate is not ideal for mangoes. "Even if it's 0 degrees outside, the temperature inside [these greenhouses] is about 25 degrees," Sumeet explains. This drives up production costs. At the Jhariyas’ mango museum, the fruit is grown outdoors.

At the end of the day, it’s a mango. If the climate is suitable for one type, there’s a 99 per cent chance it will be suitable for the others too. We treat all varieties the same.

Much like India, Japan, too, holds auctions. When mango season begins in India, the first boxes of mangoes are sold at very high prices. Normally, a box of Kesar mangoes costs Rs 100-150 per kilo, but during auction weeks, it can go up to Rs 1,000-1,500 per kilo. "This boosts farmers’ morale, and the money goes towards good causes, such as donations for a cowshed," Sumeet says. The same phenomenon plays out in Japan, with the price reaching up to USD 3000 at initial auctions. A Miyazaki tree is now growing on the Jhariya family’s farm, which has around 4,500 trees.

Growing various varieties isn’t as complicated as it may seem. “At the end of the day, it’s a mango. If the climate is suitable for one type, there’s a 99 per cent chance it will be suitable for the others too. We treat all varieties the same,” the third-generation mango farmer says. Essentially, the only difference is the ripening time. For example, a mango variety native to the US normally ripens in November or December, but in India, it ripens in June or July. The underlying logic is that the plant needs cold weather and water stress (periods when the supply of water dips below the demand for it) to flower. In India, this happens around December or January. Then, the plant needs heat for the flower to turn into fruit; it is this heat that makes the mango go from sour to sweet, and in India, this happens around April or May. "It simply adjusts to the climate where it is growing," he explains.

High-density farming, a newer approach to mango production in India, is widely applied across the Jhariyas’ farm. Normally, mango trees are planted 30-40 feet apart, and can grow as tall as 40 feet. In these orchards, yields start after 15 years. Under high-density farming’s principles, trees are planted 10-12 feet apart and begin producing in about 10 years. “The main thing is pruning. We cut off the top after the mango season. We harvest the produce and reduce the branches,” Sumeet says. This method results in not just better-quality fruit, but also improved quantities. While a traditional Kesar mango orchard produces six to 12 tonnes per hectare, high-density farming can yield up to 20 times that, and at an earlier age. “This is perfect for India because farmers here have smaller land holdings, allowing them to maximise earnings,” he adds.

Also read: The tell-tale apple trees of Thanamir

Mangonomics 1.0

Mango farming presents several challenges, one of which is that a tree can produce fruit quite different from the parent tree in taste, keeping quality, and yield. This happens because mango trees have both male and female flowers, meaning the offspring can be completely different from the tree that produced them. To solve this problem, farmers use grafts, which create a clone of the original tree.

Grafting calls for two essentials: first, a good quality wild mango seed, because wild seeds are naturally suited to the local climate and have good disease resistance. After about four to eight months, when the plant is approximately three feet tall, its top is cut off, creating what’s called the root stock. Second, a new branch from a tree that produces good fruit. These two branches are joined in a ‘V’ shape, called a scion. If the grafting is successful, new leaves will appear within a month. If it dries up, the graft has failed. “With commercial varieties we get an 80 per cent success rate. And with exotic varieties it’s a 20-30 per cent success rate. But when it does succeed, the fruit of the scion is of the same quality as the parent plant,” Sumeet says.

A farm like the Jhariyas is a long-term investment. When buying new varieties, they begin by investing in the initial plant. It can take up to three to four years before the plant bears fruit—a sign that it is genuine (or not). Then, they have to wait 3-4 years before the plant starts to bear fruit. If a plant fruits too early, it’s best to cut it off, so that it is encouraged to grow stronger. After this laborious wait, even if they harvest good-quality fruit, selling it can be tough if consumer awareness is lacking. “These exotic varieties go for double the price. But there’s no demand for them; everyone just wants local varieties,” Sumeet explains, adding that he hopes to combat this issue through this YouTube channel.

Despite these challenges, the Jhariya family runs a successful mango “museum”, driven forward by innovative solutions. Today, their income comes from fruit sales, plants sold via their nursery, and an agritourism homestay; what began as a two-room farmhouse has grown into a 30-room resort. In their success lies the promise of richer mango offerings for their dedicated customer base.

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