In Maharashtra's Konkan region, growers are evaluating alternative mango varieties as production of Alphonso faces variability linked to weather patterns. Alphonso, locally known as Hapus, remains the dominant variety, but some farmers are trialling Sindhu.
Pratap Gavaskar, who has cultivated mangoes in Vengurla for decades, has introduced 20 Sindhu saplings alongside Alphonso. "Having realised the limitations of Alphonso," he said, "I have been looking out for an alternative."
Sindhu was developed over more than 15 years by Ramchandra Gunjate and his team at Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth. It is a backcross derived from Ratna and Alphonso. "Developing a new variety is a long-term process," Gunjate said. "It takes about 12 to 15 years to release one variety, if you are lucky."
One key characteristic is seed size. Alphonso seeds range between 25 and 37 grams, while Sindhu seeds are around 6 grams. This increases pulp yield per fruit. Sindhu trees can yield between 80 and 150 kg under managed conditions, with fruit weights between 200 and 300 grams.
Planting density differs between varieties. Alphonso orchards typically accommodate about 100 trees per hectare, while Sindhu can reach up to 250 trees per hectare. Sindhu also bears fruit within three to four years after planting.
Grower feedback remains mixed. Gavaskar said, "If you mix Sindhu with Hapus, you cannot differentiate which is which." Satish Nene noted: "Not a single one of them reaches the market." Mahesh Gokhale said: "Sindhu is too sweet, and its keeping quality is not good."
Adoption remains limited. B R Salvi estimates around 90 per cent of orchards in the region remain Alphonso. Nursery sales of Sindhu saplings are reported at around 200 units annually.
Weather variability has affected Alphonso production, including flowering disruptions and quality issues such as spongy tissue. Sindhu is being evaluated for performance under these conditions, though long-term data remains limited.
The variety has also been trialled in states including Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Bihar. Its high pulp ratio has drawn interest from processors.
Growers in Konkan continue to monitor Sindhu performance alongside Alphonso, with planting decisions based on yield, fruit quality, and market acceptance.
Source: The better India
