It is that time of the year again when fruit vendors and supermarkets fill up their displays with mangos, one of the most widely enjoyed of tropical fruits.

From this month until December, mangos will probably be the most sought-after fruit in the city, and throughout the country.

“When the mango season is here, I usually leave some other fruit out of the display to make more space for mangos,” said Sunari, a fruit vendor at Palmerah market in West Jakarta.

He predicted that mango lovers would start to flock his stall next month when almost all types of mangos will arrive from the suppliers.

“I only have two kinds of mango here on the display today, harum manis and indramayu. The others should be arriving next month,” he said.

During the high season, he usually sells around 50 kilograms of mangos each day. He sells them for between Rp 15,000 and Rp 30,000 per kilogram, depending on the type.

“The favorite is still harum manis, of course.”

Mango lover, Rahmanita Djafar from Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta, said that she was excited that the mango season had arrived.

“I noticed mangos have been on display in many fruit stalls since late last month. I bought mangga gedong gincu last month, and I’m still craving honey mango, my favorite,” she said.

In Indonesia, harvest time for mangos starts in August and will peak in November.

There are dozens varieties of mango in the archipelago, but according to the Association of Exporters and Importers of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables, only 12 are commercial.

However, many people are still not aware of all the commercial types, the head of the association Kafi Kurnia said.

Together with noted chef Vindex Tengker, the association is trying to promote mangos and the kinds of dishes that can be made from them.

“Everyone loves mangos. And we can make lots of kinds of food from them — from appetizers to desserts — not just juice or rujak [spicy fruit salad],” he said during the Mangga Mania campaign organized by the association on Tuesday.

Unlike durian, most people like the taste and smell of mangos so they should experiment with them in their meals more creatively, Vindex said.

“It’s easy to cook, easy to eat and has a great taste,” he said.

During the event, the chef cooked seven dishes made from seven different mangos, including grilled beef with indramayu salad and chili peanut sauce, barbecued chicken breast with buludiraja, and coconut prawn with green manalagi salad.

Vindex said that harum manis and manalagi were the best to cook, because they do not lose texture and flavor when cooked.

“But other types are also good, as long as we know how to mix and match it with other ingredients.”

The Mangga Mania campaign will also involve restaurants and cafe owners as well as supermarkets in Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung and Bali until December.

Indonesia is one of the largest producers of mangos in the world and one of the biggest exporters.

Indonesia mostly exports to the Middle East, and is trying for a bigger market share in Europe, China and Japan.

According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia produced a total of 2.13 million ton of mangos in 2011, a rise from 1.29 million ton in 2010. Java is still the central producer, with more than 70 percent grown on the island.

Mango is good for you, containing antioxidants, Vitamin C and Potassium. Eating the fruit also helps digestion and improves your memory thanks to its glutamine content.

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