Summer fruits dearer in city
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Monira Munni
Favourite summer fruits-mango, jackfruit, blackberry and litchi-have started to appear in the city markets but they are out of the reach of the common people due to its high asking prices.
Traders claimed fruit prices are usually high in the first month of the Bangla calendar.
"It will take one more month for the prices to come down as these fruits ripe mainly in late Jaishtha," Kamal, a fruit trader of city's Kawran Bazar told the FE Monday.
Traders and buyers in different markets said the prices of jackfruit and litchi were 'exorbitant,' as jackfruits from Gazipur and Tangail, where it grows abundantly, were yet to arrive.
Litchis from Dinajpur, Ishwardi, Rangamati and Pabna remain available for a short span of time and are always on high demand.
The litchis in the market will be available for two to three more weeks, the traders cautioned.
It will take at least one more month for jackfruits from Tangail and Gazipur to reach the city markets, when its price will come down significantly, Hakim, another fruit seller said.
"They will remain available till the end of July," he added.
The price of a small jackfruit ranges between Tk 150 and Tk 200, the litchis from Rangamati and Ishwardi sell between Tk 200 and Tk 300 per hundred.
"Seasonal fruits remain out of the reach of poor and the middle-class people like us," Shirin Afroza, a buyer at the Kawran Bazar market said.
Nutritionists say seasonal fruits such as these contain a substantial amount of minerals, vitamins and other vital nutrients.
Salam, a wholesale and retail fruit trader at the market, said the price of jackfruit was likely to come down with the arrival of the supply from Tangail and Madhupur.
"But the production of jackfruit may not be satisfactory this season because of the lack of rains," he added.
There are several varieties of mangoes in the city market, like Himsagar, Gopalbogh and Guti from Sathkhira, Kushtia and Rajshahi, but its prices are high.
Himsagar was selling at Tk 100 a kg, Gopalbogh at Tk 80 and Guti at Tk 50 to Tk 60 per kg. Fazli, an all-time favourite, is yet to appear in the market.
The Fazli variety is likely to hit the market in the first week of July and it will be available for about a month, the traders said.
"The local varieties usually arrive till July and the Indian varieties such as Chausa, Lengra, Surma and Fazli till September," they added.
Green mangoes are also available in the market, selling between Tk 25 and Tk 30 per kg. They are used to make dried mango paste and pickles.
The price of watermelon ranged between Tk 60 to Tk 150 according to its sizes. The succulent summer fruit is now in great demand due to the scorching heat, traders said.
Blackberry, pineapple, stone apple and karamcha are also available and they are also selling at comparatively higher prices over last year.
Favourite summer fruits-mango, jackfruit, blackberry and litchi-have started to appear in the city markets but they are out of the reach of the common people due to its high asking prices.
Traders claimed fruit prices are usually high in the first month of the Bangla calendar.
"It will take one more month for the prices to come down as these fruits ripe mainly in late Jaishtha," Kamal, a fruit trader of city's Kawran Bazar told the FE Monday.
Traders and buyers in different markets said the prices of jackfruit and litchi were 'exorbitant,' as jackfruits from Gazipur and Tangail, where it grows abundantly, were yet to arrive.
Litchis from Dinajpur, Ishwardi, Rangamati and Pabna remain available for a short span of time and are always on high demand.
The litchis in the market will be available for two to three more weeks, the traders cautioned.
It will take at least one more month for jackfruits from Tangail and Gazipur to reach the city markets, when its price will come down significantly, Hakim, another fruit seller said.
"They will remain available till the end of July," he added.
The price of a small jackfruit ranges between Tk 150 and Tk 200, the litchis from Rangamati and Ishwardi sell between Tk 200 and Tk 300 per hundred.
"Seasonal fruits remain out of the reach of poor and the middle-class people like us," Shirin Afroza, a buyer at the Kawran Bazar market said.
Nutritionists say seasonal fruits such as these contain a substantial amount of minerals, vitamins and other vital nutrients.
Salam, a wholesale and retail fruit trader at the market, said the price of jackfruit was likely to come down with the arrival of the supply from Tangail and Madhupur.
"But the production of jackfruit may not be satisfactory this season because of the lack of rains," he added.
There are several varieties of mangoes in the city market, like Himsagar, Gopalbogh and Guti from Sathkhira, Kushtia and Rajshahi, but its prices are high.
Himsagar was selling at Tk 100 a kg, Gopalbogh at Tk 80 and Guti at Tk 50 to Tk 60 per kg. Fazli, an all-time favourite, is yet to appear in the market.
The Fazli variety is likely to hit the market in the first week of July and it will be available for about a month, the traders said.
"The local varieties usually arrive till July and the Indian varieties such as Chausa, Lengra, Surma and Fazli till September," they added.
Green mangoes are also available in the market, selling between Tk 25 and Tk 30 per kg. They are used to make dried mango paste and pickles.
The price of watermelon ranged between Tk 60 to Tk 150 according to its sizes. The succulent summer fruit is now in great demand due to the scorching heat, traders said.
Blackberry, pineapple, stone apple and karamcha are also available and they are also selling at comparatively higher prices over last year.