Rising logistics cost set to make summer fruits dearer in Indore

Indore:The arrival of mangoes and other summer fruits has begun at Choithram Mandi but rising logistics and transportation costs are likely to make them costlier for consumers this season.Traders said prices of most fruits have already firmed up compared to last year, driven by higher freight costs and supply chain disruptions linked to the ongoing West Asia crisis. The impact is visible across both imported and domestic varieties."Prices of imported apples have gone up significantly. If the situation continues, further increase is expected. For now, the impact is manageable, but forward cost escalation looks likely," said a fruit trader at Choithram market Manohar Dhawan.Traders said prices of imported apples have increased by Rs 1000 to Rs 1,200 per box, now ruling at Rs 4,500 to Rs 4,800 for an 18-kg box.Domestic fruits have also become dearer. Badam mango, arriving from southern India, is currently priced between Rs 80 and Rs 160 per kg, compared to Rs 50 to Rs 60 per kg during the same period last year. Also, oranges from Maharashtra are selling at Rs 80 to Rs 120 per kg in wholesale markets, up from Rs 40 to Rs 50 last year, while grapes are priced at Rs 80 to Rs 100 per kg against Rs 50 to Rs 60."Transportation cost has gone up sharply due to higher fuel prices and longer routes. This is directly pushing up fruit prices in the mandi," another trader Rakesh Jain said.With arrivals expected to increase in the coming weeks, traders said some correction may be seen, but elevated logistics costs are likely to keep prices higher than last year.