Sale of watermelons has been brisk in various parts of Tiruchi district as the harsh summer continues.
Traders say that watermelon arrivals from Villupuram district - a major supplier, had got exhausted due to heavy demand for the fruit and also due to fall in yield. So, traders are now depending on farmers in and around Chengalpet and Tiruvannamalai.
One of the traders, S. Kumar, who has been selling the fruits at Vayalur Road opposite Bishop Heber College, said that he could purchase 3,000 fruits once in three days. He transported the fruits through mini vans, each bringing about 450 fruits every load.
The price of the fruit has also risen sharply this season. The fruit which was being sold at ₹50 apiece last year was now being sold at ₹75 apiece.
Meanwhile, farmers in Sirkali block in Nagapattinam district said that there has been a sharp fall in the yield of the fruit this season. Besides, drought the crop was also hit by disease. Farmers, who complained of being exploited by middlemen, wanted the government to create marketing avenues for them to sell the fruits directly.
