The weight of a rare variety of mango called the 'Noorjehan', found in Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh would probably increase by 400 grams this year though rains and hailstorm damaged the region's mango crop, a leading mango orchard owner said here today.
This 'heavyweight' variety of mango which is known as "queen of mangoes" and was originally found in Afghanistan and in India, it is found only in Katthiwada area of Alirajpur district, orchard owner Shivraj Singh Lodhi said.
"While other varieties of mango crop suffered nearly 40 per cent damage in the recent rains and hailstorm, the Noorjehan variety survived the natural calamity," he said.
The average weight of a Noorjehan mango last year was around 3.8 kg, while this year it will be about 4.2 kg, he said.
Mango trees began flowering in December while fruits will be finally ready for consumption by June, he said.
The fruit would be around a feet in length and the weight of its seed would be around 200 grams, he said.
Experts said that because of change in environment and lack of proper care, very few trees of this mango remain in the Katthiwada area.
