INDIA MANGO, MANGGA

The India Mango is the typical mango fruit. It was know to the people of India. The fruit are slightly beaked at one side. They vary enormously in size and shape. The colour of the skin when ripe is as variable- green, yellow or orange. Similarly the flowers may be greenish yellow, white, pale cream or even pinkish. The ripe mango fruit is eaten as dessert. The flesh is bright yellow, and is good varieties very juicy and sweet, and at times aromatic. Unripe fruit is also eaten raw and may be quite sour. The fruit is rich in vitamins A and C and has been demonstrated to have better food value than the apple. Many varieties of India Mango are found in Malaysia. The good exotic varieties include the Apple Mango, Mulgoa, Harumanis, Thai Mango, India Papaya Mango, Philippines Mango, Taiwan Mini Apple Mango, and Indian Coconut Mango. The local varieties are generally regarded as inferior in flavor. Most existing trees in this country are grown from seedlings but vegetative methods (especially grafting) are now widely practiced particularly on the imported varieties. The trees usually flower and fruit after the fourth year. Some grafts, however may begin to bear a few flowering shoots in the second year after planting. Flowering is usually not regular. The quality of the fruit is also dependent on the prevailing climate. It does best when there is a definite dry spell and little rain at flowering and fruiting time.