Langro mango
The first mango off our trees each May, and the one that stays green when it is ripe. How to judge it, and why it is not the same as the Punjab Langra.
The short answer
Langro is the first mango off our trees each year, in the second half of May. Its defining feature is that it stays green even when it is fully ripe, so colour tells you nothing and you have to judge it by smell and by give. It is soft, fibreless and strongly scented.
We sell it as a 5 KG box at Rs. 2,000. It is not the same thing as the Punjab variety Langra, though the names are close enough to cause constant confusion.
Langro and Langra are not the same mango
This is the question we get asked most about it, so it goes near the top.
Langra لنگڑا is usually described as a Punjab variety. It stays greenish when ripe and has a distinctive resinous or turpentine note that people either love or avoid entirely. The Langro we grow is Sindhi.
The names are close, both fruits are green when ripe, and the terms are used loosely across the trade. We are not going to pretend the distinction is always observed, because it is not. If which one you are getting matters to you, ask whoever is selling it and expect a specific answer. If you are buying from us, ask us.
The green problem
Most people judge a mango by colour, and on Langro that will have you waiting for something that never happens. The skin holds its green or greenish-yellow right through ripeness.
Two tests work instead.
Smell the stem end. A ripe Langro is strongly scented. On a green fruit the smell is the clearest signal you have.
Press with your whole palm, not a fingertip. It should give noticeably and spring back. A fingertip bruises the fruit and tells you less.
This is the single most common way a good Langro gets wasted: left on a counter waiting for a colour change, well past the point it was ready.
What it is like, and when
Smaller and more rounded than a Sindhri. Soft when ready, fibreless, and strongly aromatic.
It comes off in the second half of May, which makes it the opening of our season. That timing is most of its appeal: it is the first proper mango of the year, several weeks before anything from Punjab.
| Variety | Our window | Skin when ripe | 5 KG box |
|---|---|---|---|
| Langro | Mid to late May | Stays green | Rs. 2,000 |
| Sindhri | Mid May to late June | Even gold, no blush | Rs. 3,599 |
| Sohnaro | Early to mid June | Even | Rs. 2,000 |
| Chaunsa | June to August | Often a light blush | Ask us |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Questions we get asked
What is a Langro mango?
A Sindhi variety, the first off our trees each year in the second half of May. Soft, fibreless and strongly scented, and it keeps a green skin even when fully ripe.
Are Langra and Langro the same mango?
They are easy to confuse and the names are often used loosely. Langra is usually described as a Punjab variety with a resinous note; the Langro we grow is Sindhi. If it matters for an order, ask us.
Why is my Langro still green?
Because that is what it does. The skin holds its colour through ripeness, so colour is not a ripeness test on this variety. Smell the stem end and press with your whole palm instead.
When is Langro season?
Mid to late May. It opens our season, before Sindhri gets properly going.
How much does a box of Langro cost?
Rs. 2,000 for a 5 KG box, direct from the orchard.
Is Langro fibreless?
Yes.