MANGO CITY, MUTHALAMADA

PALAKKAD MANGOES Mango, the ‘King of fruits’ is intimately associated with the history of Indian agriculture and civilization and it enjoys a royal status in the country when compared to the other growing places. History indicates that Indian mango cultivation is very ancient, of about 4000 years old. Indians have designated this fruit as the ‘National fruit’ of the country. India is the largest producer of mango in the world, contributing more than50 % of the total world production. Mango is a highly nutritive fruit. Immature and green mature fruits are suitable for pickling and chutney preparation due to the acidic nature. Ripe mangoes are excellent table fruits and also can be transformed into a variety of products. Mango fruits are rich in mineral elements like Fe, Ca and P and vitamins A, C and B Acidity of the fruits is mainly due to the presence of Maleic, Citric and Oxalic acids. The sugars present in mango fruits are sucrose, glucose, fructose and maltose. Fruits of local varieties prevalent in Kerala can be considered as a good source of organic fiber also.