The high prices of fruits are making people think twice before going for big purchases. Prices of a majority of the fruits have increased since the beginning of Ramzan month. Prices of a few varieties of fruits increased by hundred per cent.
As a practice people use some amount of fruits at the time of breaking fast but going by the current prices their intake has considerably reduced. Instead people are taking in more snacks.
For instance bananas which are usually priced between Rs. 25 and Rs. 30 a dozen are now being sold at Rs. 40 and Rs. 45 a dozen. Its price has seen a significant increase a few weeks before the beginning of Ramzan. “The supplies are less due to scanty rainfall. Also, there is heavy demand for fruits due to the ongoing ‘Shravana’ month when Hindus conduct special poojas,” said Amiruddin, a fruit commission agent at Kothapet fruit market. Bananas are brought from Guntur, Warangal, Kadapa and Nanded in adjoining Maharashtra.
Apart from banana, the prices of apples, papaya, grapes and pomegranate have seen a significant increase. Apple is priced between Rs. 25 and Rs. 45, Sweet lime (Mosambi) is priced between Rs. 120 and Rs. 200 a dozen, while papaya is sold for Rs. 30 a kilogram in the retail market. “A small pomegranate that was sold for five rupees before Ramzan is sold for Rs. 10 and even more,” laments Zubair Ahmed, of Hussaini Alam.
M. Tajuddin, president, Wholesale Fruit Commission Agents Association, says, “There is a rise in prices of unseasonal fruits due to less supply and more demand. But it is the hawkers who are adding up their bit to it in the hope of earning big.” He hopes the prices of apples will scale down after the Shimla variety start arriving in the city from next week onwards.
However, the retail fruit vendors blame the main suppliers for jacking up the prices to cash in on the demand. “The variety of apples that was priced at Rs. 2,400 a carton is now being sold to us at Rs. 3,000 forcing us to increase prices,” says Mohd. Muneeb, a fruit vendor, at Chaderghat.
