A country of 586,884 km2, the Red Island, the Big Island or the Island of the Indian Ocean, Madagascar is a land of many facets and flavours. From its disjointed sides, the island hides fruits with singular smells and tastes. From oranges to jujubes, the island harbours the entire fruity repertoire of tropical countries; between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Equator, Madagascar is a place where all kinds of fruit germinate and can be savoured.

In this article, we take a look at the list of fruits found in Madagascar. Like a travel guide, we draw up our list of fruits to be encountered each month in Madagascar.

January :

Apricot

First cultivated in China, the apricot is a sweet orange fruit shaped like a ball with a slit in the middle. The fruit is found in January in Madagascar. The flesh is sweet and has a high provitamin A content. The fruit ripens after picking.

February :

Plums

Ideal for stomach aches and gastric problems, plums are found in the second month of the year in Madagascar. The fruit is purple in colour on the island. The skin is thin, even transparent, and the flesh is juicy and very sweet. Plums are found on the east coast of the island and near the capital, where the climate is favourable.

March :

Banana

A fruit that represents the tropics and Africa, the banana is found in Madagascar. They can be eaten green or yellow. Grown on the banana tree, the banana grows in bunches and is picked when ripe. The fruit is widely grown in the east of the island and on all the islands that make up Madagascar. Its leaves are used for a variety of purposes, often replacing paper, and if it is not eaten by humans, the fruit is also much appreciated by the birds and mammals that live on the island.

April :

Melon

With its scientific name of cucumis melo, the watermelon is a fruit found all over the island. Generally mild or sweet, it is often eaten as a dessert with a scoop of ice cream, but can also accompany starters. It grows all over the island, either naturally or in small-scale cultivation.

May :

Apple

The fruit of love, the apple is also found in Madagascar, in many different varieties. You can enjoy both green and red apples during your stay, and are sure to eat them for breakfast and dessert.

Appreciated for its energy content, the fruit is often used as a 4pm snack on the island.

June :

Pineapple

Originating in Latin America, the pineapple is a very common fruit in Madagascar. It is grown in the east of the island and it is not uncommon to see pineapple vendors planting in the streets of the capital or in subsidiary towns.

On the menus of the hotels and restaurants where you stay, you’ll find it served with caramel flambé, plain, or with other fruits in a salad. The fruit is popular with the island’s inhabitants. The fruit symbolises nothing in particular on the island but is counted among the Malagasy’s favourite fruits.

July :

Orange

The first citrus fruit consumed worldwide, the orange is found in Madagascar. Orange trees are found in the eastern part of the island, where the climate is more favourable to their growth. There are many varieties of orange, and the fruit is eaten as a dessert, squeezed into juice or, rarely, made into jam.

Orange is also the name of the famous French telecommunications company, which operates on the island with almost total network coverage of the island.

August :

Jujube

Originally from Central Asia, the jujube or Chinese date is a fruit found in Madagascar. The jujube is a round date with a seed in the centre. It is eaten in jars of jam or dried, and is very popular with children on the west coast of Madagascar, where it grows. In Madagascar, the fruit is also sold as a souvenir in travel shops, so you’ll have no trouble getting hold of it if you want to buy it.

September :

Strawberries

Strawberries are also found in Madagascar. It is found in large quantities in September. Of a single variety, it is served in restaurants as a dessert accompanied by whipped cream, as an ice cream sorbet, as a plain fruit, as part of a fruit salad, or rarely in jam. The fruit is much appreciated by the Malagasy people, who eat it without reservation. If you buy strawberries yourself at the market, make sure you clean them with a syrup designed for this purpose before eating them.

October :

Soursop

An exotic fruit with white flesh, the soursop is found in several varieties in Madagascar. Its flesh is white and its taste is sweet with light granules, the fruit contains many seeds. Known for its many therapeutic virtues, the fruit is found in juices, sorbets and plain desserts on the island.
In particular, it is said to help people sleep better, and to combat parasitic diseases, heart problems and erectile dysfunction.
Its scientific name is Annona muricata.

November :

Coconut

The fruit of the coconut palm found on beaches, coconuts are best eaten around November in Madagascar. The whole nut is not edible, only the flesh attached to its walls. This flesh is eaten soaked in coconut juice or dried, and is also used to make oil.
Coconuts can be eaten at any time of day, and the products made from them are coconut sweets and coconut cake. Coconut goes very well with dishes.

December :

Letchi

Known as a spherical fruit with sweet white flesh surrounding a black pit, letchi is eaten in December in Madagascar. The flesh of the fruit is extremely sweet and is much appreciated as a jam, as well as a condiment in rhum arrangé. There are two varieties of lychee in Madagascar, the first with spikes on the skin that are very high in sugar and the second with filaments on the skin that are much softer and less sweet.
The fruit is also used in desserts, in fruit salads, ice creams and some pastries.