Buying a little over a kilo of fresh mangosteens in the United States can set you back nearly $80. This delicate fruit needs specific environmental conditions to grow, and picking the mangosteens at the perfect moment is crucial to ensure optimal flavor and texture, adding to the complexity of harvesting.
Until 2007, the US banned imports of mangosteens from the largest producers — countries like Thailand and Indonesia. Even though the commercial supply of mangosteen has spiked since then, it still doesn't meet today's demand. We went to Kerala, India, to see how mangosteen is grown and find out what makes it so expensive.
