With festive season on, fruit prices rise

While the ongoing festival season has brought various discount schemes into the markets, the prices of fruits have gone up due to increased consumption.

Banana, papaya, sweet lemon, grapes, pomegranate and apples are some of the fruits that are being sold in the mandis presently. Those imported from other states have registered a sudden increase of around 20 per cent in prices.

"Amongst seasonal fruits, the arrival of banana is highest during this time from Gujarat and its prices have shot up from Rs 25 per dozen to Rs 50 per dozen in the past week. Papaya imported from Uttar Pradesh, though in demand at present, has seen a bad crop this season and the daily arrival is yet to pick up with most of it being picked up in the morning itself," says Digvijay Kapoor, former president of Sabzi Mandi Arthiya Association.

Pomegrenate, imported from Maharashtra, is selling at Rs 100 per kg at retail outlets and sweet lemon from Hyderabad is selling at Rs 60 per kg. The first lot of grapes, imported from Australia, has also arrived here. However, traders predict that the price rise is only temporary and will come down to normal in the coming week.

"Compared to last week, the sale of fruits has picked up here because they are being offered in the temples and those who are fasting for the Navratri also purchase them more for personal consumption," says an auction recorder at the Grain Market 26, Amit, who feels that religiously significant periods are marked by a general increase in fruit prices.

Closer home, the prices of apples, though, have remained largely unaffected due to the good produce this year in Himachal Pradesh. "The vendors know that the demand is more in the nine days of fasting and seem to knowingly ask for more money. Though they eventually strike a bargain, they are also aware that there is no substitute for the fruits," says Surbhi Bhardwaj, a resident of Sector 23.

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