Indian Farmer Grows $2,700/kg Miyazaki Mangoes on His Roof

Joseph Lobo didn't know he was growing liquid gold on his rooftop. The Udupi farmer treated his Miyazaki mango sapling like any other plant on his terrace garden, watering it and feeding it homemade compost for three and a half years.

When the tree finally fruited, Lobo and his family simply enjoyed the mangoes. Only later did a visiting reporter recognize the rare Japanese variety, which sells for up to Rs 2.5 lakh (roughly $2,700) per kilogram in global markets.

The Miyazaki mango is notoriously difficult to cultivate outside Japan's climate. Its buttery texture, intense sweetness, and rich aroma make it one of the world's most prized fruits.

Lobo's success came from a simple nine-mineral soil mixture he creates at home using cow dung, sheep manure, homemade curd, and vegetable waste. He mixes this 50-50 with regular soil and feeds the tree every 30 days.

The farmer plants his mangoes in large grow bags on his sunny terrace. He avoids all chemical pesticides, relying instead on neem oil to protect against insects.

Why This Inspires

Lobo's accidental achievement proves that extraordinary things can grow from simple, consistent care. His chemical-free approach demonstrates that expensive doesn't mean complicated, and that patience pays off in unexpected ways.

Since discovering what he'd accomplished, Lobo has become a mentor to other terrace gardeners across India. He freely shares his soil recipe and organic methods with anyone interested in trying.

The wait for fruit is long (three and a half years for his first harvest), but Lobo says the key is treating the plant gently in its early stages and maintaining the feeding schedule. His terrace now grows multiple varieties of rare fruits alongside the famous Miyazaki.

What started as a simple gardening experiment has become proof that world-class agriculture can happen anywhere, even on an ordinary rooftop in coastal India.