SEASONAL OR SENSATIONAL: The War on All-Year Mangoes

A culinary and environmental critique of off-season produce obsession, and a plea for eating in tune with nature

- Gauri Ghadge

THE SWEET SEDUCTION OF A MANGO IN DECEMBER

There's something poetic about biting into a ripe Goan mango in May, sun-warmed, juice-laden, and brimming with the taste of a season. For generations, mangoes have marked a turning point in Goa's calendar: a signal of summer, family recipes, and monsoon anticipation. But today, mangoes, once fleeting and special, are available in supermarkets nearly all year round.

Alphonsos in January, Totapuris in October, and even imported Peruvian mangoes in December now grace shelves across India. This year-round indulgence may feel like progress, but behind it lies a complex and troubling story of carbon emissions, water stress, degraded taste, and a disappearing sense of seasonality.

CARBON FOOTPRINT: THE HIDDEN COST OF OFF-SEASON FRUIT

Few realise how far an off-season mango travels. According to industry data, air-freighted mangoes from Peru to Europe generate up to 6 kg of CO2 per kilogram of fruit, comparable to emissions from pork production. By comparison, mangoes shipped by sea emit around 30 times less CO, but still more than local, seasonal alternatives.

Even within India, mangoes often travel long distances via refrigerated trucks, adding to their environmental burden.

According to Carbon Cloud, transport accounts for about 18% of a mango's total carbon footprint, while agriculture, including fertiliser, water, and pesticide use, contributes about 79%.

The further a mango strays from its natural time and place, the more it costs, not just in rupees, but in resource depletion and climate impact.

WATER WASTE AND AGROCHEMICAL REALITY