For the Indian diaspora in the U.S., a box of mangoes isn’t just a produce purchase; it’s a $40 plane ticket home. While Latin American varieties dominate the mainstream market, Kaushal Khakhar, CEO of India’s Kay Bee Exports, says the skyrocketing demand for Indian alphonso and kesar varieties proves that emotional heritage and superior flavor profiles can bypass rational pricing logic.
Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported premium varieties of Indian mangoes, such as alphonso and kesar, are retailing in the U.S. for $50 to $60 per box of 10 to 12 mangoes — putting the stone fruit on a price point par with lobster tails.
“There was a fair bit of exaggeration in those comments,” says Khakhar, who told The Packer that while the true price is closer to $40 per box of 10 to 12 mangoes, what isn’t an exaggeration is the U.S.-based Indian community’s appetite for a taste of home.
“I think the emotion of Indian consumers has been very well captured so that there is no denying the Indian diaspora feels that this is their way to connect to their homeland, and the flavor of the mango is way different and superior to other mangoes,” says Khakhar. “So, I think in that sense, there is a definite craving for Indian mangoes, and that’s why … they are happy to pay $40 a case [of 10 to 12] for the Indian mango.
“Does it mean the flavor is four times superior?” he continues. “No, so it’s not a rational purchase. It is more an emotional purchase. And the Indian diaspora is a very affluent community. They can spend more for good food. And this is one thing that they can proudly claim is their heritage.”
In India, a country that boasts over 1,000 mango varieties, the battle for the U.S. mango market has narrowed down to a tactical race between two titans: the delicate, high-demand alphonso and the sturdier, export-ready kesar, says Khakhar. What’s more, a preference for alphonso mangoes may have slowed market demand for Indian mango imports to the U.S.
“[Kesar and alphonso] are the No. 1 and No. 2 varieties in the U.S. Kesar is the most stable. The most demanded variety is alphonso, but because it is so delicate and it does not yield good commercial outcomes, kesar has overtaken alphonso,” Khakhar says.
The CEO says that inconsistent eating experience with alphonso has led to kesar’s takeover.
“People have actually graduated now to kesar because it’s a rational thing that when you buy kesar, you don’t go wrong. But with alphonso, it’s a hit and a miss in terms of internal issues,” he says. “That’s why the kesar has probably been 50% of all the varieties that India [exports]. It’s by far the most dominant variety that is coming to the U.S.”
India Dominates in Mangoes
Despite India’s status as a global powerhouse — accounting for roughly 40% to 45% of world production — the country has historically struggled to translate its massive domestic yield into export dominance, says Khakhar, who notes that this trend is shifting.
A key factor in the global mango trade is the complementary timing between regional rivals India and Pakistan. While both nations produce high-quality varieties, their harvest windows rarely overlap; the Indian season peaks in April, May and June, while Pakistani varieties typically arrive in June, July and August, says Khakhar. This sequential availability allows the Asian diaspora and broader consumer base to transition from Indian mangoes to Pakistani varieties as the summer progresses, effectively extending the window for South Asian produce in European and Western markets.
The U.S. market represents a particularly fertile ground for expansion. According to Khakhar, India currently exports approximately 4,000 tons of mangoes to the U.S. annually. Kay Bee Exports has secured a significant foothold in this specific corridor, handling between 1,000 and 1,200 tons, or roughly a quarter to a third of the total Indian market share in the U.S.
While these numbers are currently a small fraction of India’s overall production, they represent a high-growth sector that has been steadily building momentum since market access was first established in 2007.
“It took a very long time for India to really start picking up in mango export numbers,” says Khakhar. “I think the first 10 to 15 years were [defined by] complicated logistics, and people were not able to execute the delivery of good quality mangoes. I [also] think everyone was focusing on alphonso, and that was the reason why the market never really grew, because they were trying the wrong variety.”
While Kay Bee Exports has its own mango farms, to sustain its growth, the company is leveraging India’s network of millions of small-scale farmers to scale its operations to meet skyrocketing international demand.
“And now people realize that they should go slow on alphonso and focus on other things and that has really helped India as we establish consumer confidence, and hence the growth in the market,” he says. “I anticipate India will grow from 4,000 tons right now to touch 10,000 tons in the next five to seven years in the U.S. market.”
Overcoming the Irradiation Knowledge Gap
While Indian mango exporters are now backing the right horse with the switch from alphonso to kesar, the industry faces another hurdle with the U.S. irradiation requirement for all mangoes from India entering the U.S. market.
Irradiation is a necessary treatment for Indian mangoes because it is the only effective method to eliminate the mango stone weevil, says Khakhar. While hot water treatments can address fruit flies, they are ineffective against the stone weevil, a pest of significant concern for U.S. agricultural authorities. Consequently, irradiation is required by U.S. regulations to ensure that these pests are not introduced into the country, making it a critical gateway for Indian mango exports.
The CEO also emphasizes that irradiation is a superior alternative to other common treatments.
“Irradiation is a great process because it is very gentle on the fruit,” he says. “It is definitely not as toxic as methyl bromide fumigation. It is also not as intrusive on the fruit as hot water or any other treatments.”
Despite being FDA-approved and backed by global research confirming its safety, Khakhar expresses disappointment that consumer misconceptions and retailer hesitation — particularly among high-end and organic grocers — continue to hinder the market potential of irradiated fruits.
‘Manageable’ Mango Prices for Consumers
While recent headlines might suggest that Indian mango prices in the U.S. have reached epic heights, the reality on the ground is far more nuanced.
Khakhar says the actual cost increase has been roughly 10% compared to last year — a figure he describes as “manageable” and “normal food inflation.”
What’s currently driving up the cost of mango imports from India is air freight costs, which have jumped by 20% due to the conflict in the Middle East, says Khakhar, who adds the surge has been partially offset by a favorable exchange rate and the removal of import tariffs that previously plagued the trade.
Though Khakhar points out that even when tariffs were in place, they were often a minor factor in the final retail price of mangoes. Because air freight accounts for roughly 70% of a mango’s cost and is not subject to tariffs, a 10% tax only applied to the remaining 30% of the value — effectively a 3% impact.
Ultimately, the 2026 Indian mango season is defined by resilience, says Khakhar, with exporters like Kay Bee maintaining a steady supply of the in-demand fruit.
“If the Middle East conflict does normalize quickly — right now it is in a pause phase — but if everything normalizes and then takes a couple of weeks for air freight prices to come down, we may go even below last year’s prices,” says Khakhar. “But right now, we are higher than that with the current way things stand.
“But the market size is very large, and our aspiration is to take the flavor of Indian mangoes to a wider community,” he says.
