The original wild mango, which is still grown in India and Southeast Asia today, is a far cry from the juicy and delicious cultivated mangoes we now eat.

The tropical mango is the national fruit of India, where it was first cultivated as early as 2000 BCE. In India mangoes are considered to be a symbol of life, and mango leaves are used for decoration in festival celebrations and weddings. Indian mango chutney is perhaps the original chutney, and has become popular worldwide.
In Latin American countries green mango is eaten with salt and sometimes chili.

Portuguese explorers introduced the mango into Africa and Brazil in the 16th century, and mangoes were being grown in Hawaii and Florida by the 19th century. Today India is the world’s largest producer of mangoes, with China, Thailand, Mexico and Brazil other main producers.