Kesar
Gujarat's aromatic saffron-pulp mango, well-suited to Saurashtra and a strong export and pulp variety. Not yet individually researched for a detail page.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Mango
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- Mid-season
- Expected yield
- High
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Girnar foothills, Junagadh, Gujarat — first grafts c. 1931 (Wazir Sale Bhai), named "Kesar" 1934 by Nawab Muhammad Mahabat Khan III; GI-tagged 2011 (application filed 2010 by Junagadh Agricultural University)
About this variety
Kesar, also known as Gir Kesar, originated in the Girnar foothills near Junagadh, Gujarat, where the first grafts were reportedly planted around 1931 by Wazir Sale Bhai at Laal Dori farm. In 1934, Nawab Muhammad Mahabat Khan III named it "Kesar" for its saffron-like orange pulp. It received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2011 after Junagadh Agricultural University filed the application in 2010 — the first agricultural produce from Gujarat, and the second mango variety in India, to receive a GI tag. The fruit has deep saffron-orange, smooth, almost creamy, non-fibrous flesh, with sweetness regularly reaching 22–26°Brix, among the highest of any Indian mango variety.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
Mid-season
Expected yield
High
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
- Moderate
Advantages & considerations
Things to consider
- This record's existing single-state (Gujarat) `states` field matches Kesar's well-documented, geographically-protected origin in the Girnar foothills near Junagadh — no discrepancy found here, one of the cleaner matches in this rollout.
- Sourced sweetness figures (22–26°Brix) describe it as among the highest of any Indian mango variety — this is new detail not previously in this record, consistent with (and reinforcing) the existing "strong export and pulp variety" framing in the note field, no conflict.
- No exact yield-per-hectare figure was found this phase; this record's existing "High" yieldPotential rating is left as the working reference.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Gujarat
Frequently asked questions
Where did Kesar mango originate?
In the Girnar foothills near Junagadh, Gujarat, where the first grafts were planted around 1931 and the fruit was named "Kesar" in 1934 by Nawab Muhammad Mahabat Khan III for its saffron-like orange pulp.
Does Kesar mango have a GI tag?
Yes — it received the tag in 2011, becoming the first agricultural produce from Gujarat and the second mango variety in India to be GI-tagged.
How sweet is Kesar mango?
Sweetness regularly reaches 22–26°Brix, among the highest of any Indian mango variety, alongside its distinctive saffron-orange, smooth, almost creamy flesh.
Why is Kesar mango called "saffron mango"?
Its deep saffron-orange pulp colour directly inspired the name "Kesar" (Hindi/Gujarati for saffron) when the Nawab of Junagadh named it in 1934.
Where in India is Kesar mango grown?
Primarily in Gujarat, especially the Saurashtra region around the Girnar foothills near Junagadh — this record's existing single-state field matches its well-documented, geographically-protected origin.