Watermelon season, sellers say, is gradually drawing to a close.
The fruit spawned self-employment in no small measure in and around Erode city. Push-cart sellers trading in juicy sliced fruit pieces served on plates were a common sight on roadsides and street corners during the last two months.
A little shade is all they required for their business. But, over the last week, the sellers say the slide in their business has become perceptible.
Price
The price has gone up considerably now, by about 30 to 40 per cent compared to last month. The diminishing taste and the fall in supply are indications of the fruits being harvested at the fag end of the season, a seller near the Erode Railway Junction said, adding that supply would continue for another fortnight at the most.
Notably, sellers are reluctant to trade in whole fruits. The returns, they say, are more when they are sliced and sold.
According to them, water melons attract patronage as much as tender coconuts, sugarcane juice and palm fruits (ice apple) during summer months.
