Shadowing Practice: Why Mangosteen, The Viral TikTok Fruit, Is So Expensive | So Expensive | Business Insider - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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This is a mangosteen.
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This is a mangosteen.
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If you're unfamiliar with this tropical fruit, that might soon change, because the demand for its flavour is skyrocketing.
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Just look at one of the 44 .7 million TikTok posts with the hashtag #MangosteenFruit.
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In India, the largest producer of the fruit in 2022, a kilo of mangosteen costs $4 .00.
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But in the US, just one fruit can go for $6.
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Even the saplings the nursery grows from the seeds of unsellable mangosteens are flying off the shelves.
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The global demand is so high
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that farmers in India are doing everything they can to grow
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more including wiping their farms of other produce to plant more mangosteen trees,
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all for a fruit that couldn't be legally imported into the US from Asia until 2007.
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But stateside vendors told Business Insider they've been finding ways to get their hands on the fruit for decades.
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So does demand go beyond TikTok -worthy visuals?
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And why is this purple fruit so expensive?
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Some describe mangosteen as sweet and tangy, with notes of lychee, peach and strawberry.
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Others can't quite figure out how to describe it.
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It's an emotion.
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If you eat, you will understand.
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I can't explain the taste.
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Street vendors in New York City, like Lee, have been selling mangosteen for decades.
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Even when it was contraband, We heard that in 2007, we had the "sansu" in the US.
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Yes, he didn't do that.
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It's been 30 years ago.
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In the early 2000s, A kilo could cost about $120 in New York, a little over $9 for a single fruit.
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Part of the reason for that staggering rate was a total ban on mangosteens grown outside of Central America and the Caribbean.
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Mangosteins are mainly grown in Southeast Asia, but until 2007, the USDA restricted imports,
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fearing pests like the Asian fruit fly would harm U .S agriculture.
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Even so, Lee says he found ways to get a hold of some.
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"It was from the Thai country.
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It was very small and it was very fast.
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You can't see it.
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It was like that." You can see more than that.
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- Thank you.
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Thanks to the lift on the import ban.
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More mango stains are reaching the US, which has lowered the price.
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Today, Lee is selling a kilogram for $22, but other vendors charge as much as $78.
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And as more mangosteens have made their way to the US, vendors have also seen demand grow.
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The market is so rich, they have seen the market, they have seen the market, they have seen the market, they have seen the market.
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Do you buy a lot of people in the mountain?
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A lot.
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A lot of things you buy in the mountain.
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- Thank you.
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It's not just an American phenomenon.
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As global demand keeps rising, mangosteen farmers in Asia are doing everything they can to increase production.
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One way farmers are trying to meet that demand is by simply growing more.
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you Marlin Wu Thay Dhan Nursery in Kerala, South India, decided to cut down its other fruits in favor of mangosteens.
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Right now we are cutting all coconuts, aracanuts.
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We are only promoting this mangosteen.
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because we have profit in this, that much demand we have right now.
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Mangosteins currently make up 50 % of the farm's profits, so Manu says it's the right investment.
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The future is fruitful.
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I feel like that.
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Oh Other farmers like Shardu are catching on too.
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Even the saplings the nursery grows from the seeds of unsellable mangosteens are flying off the shelves.
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This year I have just one plant which gave me fruit for almost 10 ,000 rupees worth of fruit, about 40 kilo I sold.
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So I thought, why not?
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I'm taking 120.
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I want to plant these saplings the best possible way and I want to make it for a commercial purpose.
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- he won't be able to capitalize on mangosteens from those trees anytime soon.
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It takes up to 10 years for a mangosteen tree to bear fruit.
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They need a warm tropical climate with high humidity and slightly acidic soil.
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That's why they're mainly produced in South and Southeast Asia.
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I'm going to go to the next one.
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Once the fruit does grow, the farm tries to ensure pickers don't miss a single ripe mangosteen.
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Badoo has been picking mango stains at the farm for 35 years.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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During the peak season of June and July,
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harvesters like Badu climb 40 -foot trees in hopes of finding the best mangosteens.
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First grade.
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First grade mangosteens are 4 to 8 centimetres in diameter, with a purple or nearly black outer shell,
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and a bright white fleshy fruit underneath.
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It's a delicate dance as the climbers race against the clock to pick mangosteens before they over -ripen or fall.
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ensuring no fruit goes to waste.
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- Thank you.
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Pickers rotate through sections of the grove quickly to control the quality of their product
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and prevent mango steams from falling in between harvests.
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And if one falls, it will quickly lose its sought after sweet and tangy taste.
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and become inedible.
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This one is a fell down fruit.
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I think it fell down before two or three days because it's already a stone.
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We can't open it.
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Even if a fruit on the ground isn't rock hard, they still won't sell it.
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Mangosteen can spoil within days of harvesting, so there's a chance it'll go bad before reaching the customer.
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But every mangosteen they do pick has a predetermined destination, according to Manu, whose father started the mangosteen farm.
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The destination guides harvesters in choosing which mangosteens to pick.
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Nearly a third of the harvest is reserved for direct customers
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who come to the farm to buy their mangosteen in smaller quantities.
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Thank you.
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The darkest, ripest mango stains are sold to them because they need to be eaten immediately.
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Another third is purchased wholesale by other retailers.
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They pay 350 rupees a kilogram, or around $4 .17, These buyers seek less ripe,
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lighter purple mangosteins that can withstand transport times.
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Thank you.
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The final third goes to middlemen, including exporters who sell to other countries.
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The further Manu has to send the mangosteens, the more expensive they get.
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Shipping the mangosteens by air is five times as expensive as ground transportation.
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which factors into the final price.
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While only certain climates are suitable for farming prolific mangosteen trees, Farmers can't depend on high yields every year.
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If a tree produces lots of fruit one year, it will produce less the next.
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causing production to vary in cycles.
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Last year, Manu's family farm made 10 million rupees, or about $119 ,000 in revenue, from its harvest.
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This year, Manu expects a third of that.
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He says, regardless of fluctuating profits, his family continues to benefit from Mangosteen's surprising success.
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While Merlin Mutadhan Nursery doesn't have an export license yet, Other farmers in Asia who do have to irradiate their mango stems before they reach the US market.
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Irradiation is when the fruit is exposed to ionising radiation to eliminate harmful bacteria or microorganisms.
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But irradiation doesn't come cheap.
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The food must be shipped to either a local irradiation agency or one in the United States adding to transportation costs.
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From farm to table, the expenses stack up.
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Mangosteen aficionados like Stefan Lin bear the brunt of that cost.
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I'd say it's more of like a treat.
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It would be more like a once in a while thing, like once a month or whatnot.
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If it was cheaper, I'd probably go out of my way to get it.
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My do wish was like a dollar or so per foot.
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People are willing to shell out for treats like mangosteen, especially in the United States, where 57 % of fruit consumers are interested in trying exotic fruits.
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Mangostein's unknown is the Queen of Fruit after a rumor
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that Queen Victoria loved them so much she offered a knighthood to anyone who would bring some to her.
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Today's consumers agree.
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The global market for mangosteen is growing at an annual rate of 3 .6 %
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and is projected to reach up to $658 million by 2030.
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But this growth is relatively new.
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When Manu's father Merlin Muthadon grew up eating mangosteens from a tree his grandfather planted over 100 years ago, It wasn't a viable business.
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We were going to go to school and we were going to go to the parking.
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I am not sure how to do business with my mom He was not a fruit,
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he was a little bit of fruit.
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I have been able to get my first children.
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I don't know.
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I think I'm going to go to the plan to do business and design for my recommendation.
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He didn't make much money from it initially, "I am a marketer" Cutting rate, DVD, VK and KT.
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and we have to leave.
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But I will do it with my friends.
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But last year, his mangosteen sold for almost 18 times that amount.
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Merlin started off with 80 mangosteen trees. And now?
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He and his sons look after 1 ,000. and counting.
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All the new generation peoples are not into farming.
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I have a message like, you all go for this kind of farming.
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and if you have a good marketing skill also you can get a huge success from this.
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Context & Background
The popularity of the mangosteen fruit has recently surged, particularly due to its viral presence on platforms like TikTok. This tropical fruit, often described in sensory and emotional terms, is gaining attention not just for its unique taste, but also for the intricacies of its market and production challenges. In countries like India, where mangosteen is primarily grown, farmers are altering their agricultural practices to meet rising global demand. This context provides a rich backdrop for learners to immerse themselves in English conversation about food, economics, and culture.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- “The demand for [something] is skyrocketing.”
- “Some describe it as sweet and tangy.”
- “It has become a popular choice.”
- “They are doing everything they can to grow more.”
- “It’s a profitable investment.”
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To effectively utilize the shadowing technique with this video, follow these steps:
- Watch the Video: Start by viewing the video once without any subtitles to grasp the context and tone of the conversation. This first impression sets the stage for deeper understanding.
- Listen for Keywords: On your second viewing, pay attention to the highlighted phrases in the transcript. Notice how they can be integrated into your daily communication regarding food and commerce.
- Practice Shadowing: Pause the video frequently and repeat the phrases after the speaker, mimicking their pronunciation and intonation. Focus on the rhythmic flow of speech to enhance your english speaking practice.
- Record Yourself: As you shadow, use your phone or a recording device to capture your voice. This will help you identify areas for improvement in your pronunciation and fluency.
- Refine Your Skills: Play back your recording and compare it with the original audio. Identify any differences in pronunciation and adjust accordingly. The more you practice, the better your shadowspeaks will become!
This method not only enhances your vocabulary but also boosts your confidence in speaking English, helping you connect with diverse topics from food trends to agricultural practices. With consistent practice, using the shadowing technique can be an engaging way to elevate your language skills.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.