Why are Pakistani mangoes so expensive?

A 3kg carton of Pakistani Chaunsa costs £25 in the UK, roughly three times what a supermarket Kent mango costs. Here is exactly where that money goes, and why a cheaper version of the same fruit isn't on offer anywhere else.

1. The fruit is airfreighted, not sea-shipped

Pakistani mango varieties are picked close to ripeness. They cannot survive the 25 to 30 day sea voyage that supermarket Brazilian or Peruvian mangoes go through. The only way to bring them to the UK at eating quality is by air-cargo out of Karachi, a 2 to 3 day journey. Airfreight is the single biggest line item in the cost stack.

2. The shelf life is short

A ripe Chaunsa has 3 to 5 days of perfect eating time. That means there is no warehouse holding stock for weeks at a time, every carton you reserve is part of a fresh dispatch, sized to customer demand before the live order cut-off shown on the site.

3. The chain is short, and growers are paid first

PakMango.Com works directly with partner orchards in Sindh and Punjab. There are no supermarket buyers in the middle compressing prices. The grower is paid first; we pay UK customs, packhouse, courier and packaging next; our margin sits on top.

4. Supply is genuinely scarce

Some varieties, Anwar Ratol, Honey Chaunsa, the rarer Dosehri grades, are produced in small volumes from specific orchards. We cannot scale them up; the trees simply don't exist in greater quantity. Scarcity supports the price.

5. What the £25 (or £20 at 3+) actually buys

A 3kg carton holds 6 to 9 large Chaunsa or 12 to 18 Anwar Ratol. Per fruit that is comfortably less than a single supermarket "exotic" mango at peak season, and the eating experience is not comparable.

Common questions

Why are Pakistani mangoes more expensive in the UK than supermarket mangoes?
Three reasons: they are airfreighted from Karachi (not sea-shipped); they are picked ripe and have a short shelf life; and the supply chain is short, grower, importer, courier, with no supermarket buying power compressing margins.
How much does a carton of Pakistani mangoes cost in the UK?
PakMango.Com cartons start from £29.99 plus delivery, with bundle savings on 2, 3 or 5 cartons, exact bundle totals are shown on the shop and at checkout. Each carton holds roughly 3kg of fruit, sourced directly from partner orchards in Sindh and Punjab.
Why is airfreight necessary?
Pakistani mango varieties are picked closer to ripeness than supermarket fruit, which means they would not survive a 25 to 30 day sea voyage. Karachi-to-UK by air is 2 to 3 days, which is the only viable route for ripe mangoes.
Is there a cheaper time to buy?
Pricing is broadly stable across the season, with marginal variation as supply tightens for the rarest varieties (Anwar Ratol, Honey Chaunsa). Bundle savings on multi-carton orders (2, 3 or 5 cartons) are the largest saving available and are shown on the shop.
Where exactly does the cost go?
Roughly: orchard payment to the grower, packhouse and grading, road transport to Karachi airport, air-cargo to the UK, UK customs and handling, UK packhouse re-pack, UK courier delivery, packaging materials, payment processing and our margin. The grower is paid first.

Save with the 3+ carton tier

Bundle savings apply automatically when you order 2, 3 or 5 cartons, most diaspora customers split a bundle with family. Check the shop for current bundle totals.

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