India, April 22 -- With the season for Alphonso mangoes having begun, traders warn of increasing incidents where the in-demand Konkan Alphonsos are being replaced with those of inferior quality from Karnataka. Customers pay higher prices for cheaper mangoes simply because they look similar.

The wholesale APMC market in Vashi receives over one lakh Alphonso mango boxes daily. Of these, roughly 80,000 boxes come from Devgad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, and Raigad. The raw Konkan Alphonsos are priced at Rs.1,500 to Rs.3,500 per crate i.e. Rs.400 to Rs.800 per dozen, in the wholesale market. They are sold in the retail market at Rs.1000 to Rs.1800 per dozen.

Marking a huge price difference from it are the Karnataka Alphonso mangoes, sold in the ...