Rare 3.3 Kg Noorjahan Mango Sells For Rs 3,800 In Madhya Pradesh’s Katthiwada

In Madhya Pradesh’s Alirajpur district, a 3.3-kilogram Noorjahan mango , popularly known as the “Queen of Mangoes” , has been sold for Rs 3,800 this season, drawing renewed attention to the rare fruit grown in the Katthiwada region.

The Noorjahan mango is considered one of India’s most unusual and premium mango varieties, known for its extraordinary size, limited availability and high demand among buyers across states.

Farmers in Katthiwada, located around 250 km from Indore, said the fruit continues to attract interest from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat and even inquiries from Tamil Nadu. The mango is also gaining informal overseas reach, with fruits reportedly carried to countries such as the UAE, the US and Spain through personal contacts.

According to growers, the variety is cultivated in very limited numbers, with some orchards reportedly having only a handful of trees, making each harvest highly valuable. One farmer said his orchard includes two old and 11 grafted trees , while another grower stated that only a few trees in the region produce the fruit commercially.

Bharatraj Singh Jadav, a local orchard owner, said the largest fruit this season weighed 3.30 kg and was sold for Rs 3,800. He added that several fruits are still on trees and final weights could increase as harvesting continues. He also noted that demand remains strong due to scarcity and uniqueness of the variety .

Farmers say Noorjahan mangoes are grown using organic methods without chemical inputs , relying on forest-based natural residues for cultivation. Around 10 guards have been deployed in some orchards due to the high value of the crop and risk of theft.

Another grower, Shivraj Jadav, said some fruits are expected to reach up to 4 kg this season, although historically the variety has produced even heavier mangoes. He added that flowering begins in January and harvesting takes place in June.

Experts and cultivators also note that the fruit size, once reaching up to 4.5 kg decades ago, has gradually reduced due to climatic changes and ageing trees , although it still remains one of the largest mango varieties in the country.

The Noorjahan mango is believed to have been introduced to the region through grafting decades ago and is now cultivated almost exclusively in Katthiwada, where it has become both a local identity marker and a premium seasonal fruit.