How Amreli’s Kesar mangoes made it to the White House

Updated: May 23rd, 2024

Madhu Savani Mango (img: Savani Farms)

After becoming popular across the world, Amreli’s famed Kesar mangoes found it tough to gain acceptance  in the United States, especially the White House, the official residence of the US president.. However, a teacher and his son’s undying efforts for 6 years made it possible to lift the ban on the export of Kesar mangoes from Gujarat.

Today, former teacher Madhu Savani of Mota Bhamodra village in Amreli’s Savarkundla taluka is exporting hundreds of boxes of Savani Farm mangoes that have been loved by US presidents, including George Bush, Donald Trump, and the current president, Joe Biden. Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of New York and the wife of Prince Andrew too have relished the juicy fruit. Savani has planted 10,000 mango trees of different varieties on a 150-bigha (30-acre) orchard between Thavi and Virdi villages.

During the maiden visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US, Nancy Pelosi, once known to have cancelled Modi’s US visa, ordered 25 boxes of the mangoes from Savani farms and served him.

From Amreli to America: a fruitful journey

Similar to his mangoes, Savani has made a journey that stretches from the humble mango orchards in Gujarat to the ambitious markets of the US.

Although he dons a white suit and a hat to his farm these days, Savani once resigned from his job as a teacher in Damnagar to send his son abroad for studies and eventually settled him there. He, too, shifted to the US.

After securing his sons’ careers, Savani returned home and took up farming. As the story goes, once on a visit to  the US to see his son, he was forced to hide the Kesar mangoes he had brought along. However, the US airport authorities seized the bag and threw the fresh mangoes away, much to the teacher’s chagrin.

As Savani’s mangoes couldn’t reach American soil, his son Bhaskar made innumerable pleas for ‘mango mandate’ to the White House and the Indian government from 2001 to 2007. After six long years of hard work, the US allowed the entry of Kesar mangoes into their country after fulfilling 183 quality checks.

At the ripe old age of 85, Savani’s enthusiasm has not dimmed. He continues to tend to the 10,000 mango trees on his farm, driving around in a car and keenly supervising the farm labourers.

Also read:

Valsad ‘Hapus’ mangoes lose shine amidst climate woes, low yield

India’s mango export value rises 19% in April-August period of current fiscal

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