Mango lovers wait the entire year for the season to taste the first mango fruit of that year. 

Hapus or Alphonso is one of most sought after type of mango and it is an important means of livelihood for the farmers of Konkan. 

However this year, the story is different with the whole world enveloped in the Corona virus pandemic during the April-May mango season and the whole country under lockdown.

This year, mango enthusiasts are frantically searching for ways to find their favourite fruit and mango cultivators are looking for a way to sell their produce.

To help the farmers find a market for their fruit and for people to be able to enjoy the fruit, Kokan Bhumi Pratisthan along with Government of Maharashtra, Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board and Agriculture Department are taking efforts to bring Alphonso mango from farm to one’s doorstep. 

By following the government rules of social distancing and usage of sanitisers, the company has started transporting the fruit from Konkan to certain parts of cities like Mumbai, Thane, Vasai and Pune Pimpri.

The company has launched their flagship brand called, global Konkan Alphonso.

The core concept of this initiative is to ensure that aficionados receive best quality fruit, naturally ripened and geographical indication, tagged mangoes from the Konkan belt like Devgad, Rajapur, Vijayadurg, Pawas, Navare, Ganpatipule, Jakhadevi, Dapoli, Kelshi, Guhagar, Shrivardhan at affordable rates and help sustain lakhs of mango farmers. 

With the help of the Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB), the fruit is being made available directly from the farms to housing societies.

Sanjay Yadavrao, founder, Kokan Bhumi Pratisthan and Global Kokan, shared, “Due to the Corona virus pandemic, people are turning more towards organic fruits, vegetables and grains. Naturally ripened and GI accredited “Global Kokan Alphonso” which are enriched with vitamins are much needed to boost our immunity. We started through social media adhering to government rules and now we have reached a level where the demand is very high and we are trying hard to fulfil the demand and help the farmers also in the process. We are planning to launch an app soon called Alphonso Farmers Market. Farmers from the Kokan belt are receptive of this move from Kokan Bhumi Pratisthan and it has provided readymade market for their produce and ensuring they get value for their products.”

"The initiative is providing customers with fresh green mangoes naturally grown at their farms to the housing societies. We have delivered around 10,000 dozen mangoes in 2,000 boxes to 100 societies in various cities. The boxes are delivered in three variants - 5 dozen, 4 dozen and 2 dozen. We are happy that Global Konkan and Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board are getting tremendous response from Alphonso mango consumers," he added.