Mangoes from India, Pakistan now compete in US market

Three years after the king of fruits "alphanso" from India landed in the US to the delight of diehard mango lovers, the "chausa" variety from Pakistan has also made it here, bringing an element of competition between the two popular varieties in the huge American market.

Traders involved in the fruits' import concede that an element of competition has been introduced between the mango varieties from the two countries, though both are facing the problem of high costs and are presently quite far away from the reach of the masses and are not readily available in Indian and Pakistani grocery stores in the US.

Jaidev Sharma, President of Mangozz.com, one of the largest importers of the fruit from India and Pakistan, says generally Indian mangoes have an edge over Pakistani fruit.

After the arrival of the first commercial shipment of about 800 boxes of Pakistani "chausa" early this month, a box of six "chausa" mangoes was quickly taken at an unbelievable premium price of USD 60-USD 100.

In the last few years, the Indian "alphanso" has been the costliest variety in the US, with a box (weighing about 3 kgs and containing nine to 12 mangoes) being sold this year at USD 40 to USD 80 in the retail market.

Mango importers from Pakistan hope that as the volume of import of "chausa" increases in the coming years, they would be able to give a stiff challenge to the mangoes from India.

"We hope to give a tough competition to the Indian mangoes," said a Pakistani-origin shopkeeper in the Greater Washington Area, who was one of the lucky few to sell from the first commercial consignment.

All eyes are now set on the second commercial consignment of the variety from Pakistan, scheduled to arrive at Chicago airport ?" the port of entry for mangoes ?" on Thursday.