Seasonal fruits become costlier amid high demand

Pune: Seasonal fruits like pomegranate, sweet lime (mosambi), figs (anjeer), sapota (chikoo), papaya and apple, among others, have become costlier in the retail markets (mandis), with the prices going up from the range of Rs80-Rs100 to Rs150-Rs200 per kg over the last 10 days owing to high demand.
Officials at the Gultekdi Market Yard said the demand for fruits has increased due to an increase in day temperatures.People buy fruits in large quantities. There is also high demand from hotels and eateries. “At the same, the arrival of fruits at the wholesale market has been less compared to the regular intake,” Babasaheb Bibve, head of fruits section, Market Yard, told TOI on Monday. w“Nowadays, we get only one or two trucks of apples, containing 90 boxes weighing 10kg each, in the market as against 4-5 trucks. As a result, prices of the fruit have skyrocketed in the retail markets across the city. We are now getting imported Iranian apples in the market in limited quantities. Even though the fruit is being sold at Rs100 per kg in the wholesale market. But the vendors are selling the same quality of fruit in the retail market at Rs250 per kg. It is beyond the budget of many customers,” he added.
A similar trend has been noticed vis-a-vis other fruits as well, Bibve said. “The unseasonal rainfall in December in several areas of the state has also affected fruits plantations severely. As a result, the harvest of many fruits is less compared to the last year’s intake in the market,” he said.
Sonu Dhamdhare, commission agent, Market Yard, said, “The arrival of orange and mosambi has reduced as the ‘seasons’ for these fruits are in the last phase. Currently, we receive these fruits mainly from Ahmednagar and Auranbagad districts in limited quantity. There is good demand for them due to an increase in day temperatures. Because of these reasons, the rates have increased. Good quality of orange is being sold in the range of Rs 80-Rs140 per kg. Vendors usually sell at double the price in upmarket areas such as Koregoan Park, Aundh, Model Colony, Kothrud, among other localities in the city. A similar trend has been seen in the case of mosambi. We will get the fruit from the southern states in the next two weeks.”
Meanwhile, customers said that they always shell out more than the wholesale market rates of fruits. “We usually expect low rates for season fruits as they are available in good quantity. However, we are still buying these fruits at high rates. Often, we buy in limited quantity,” said Poonam Rane, from Pimple Saudagar area.
“There is no uniformity in the rates. It clearly shows that local vendors monitor the rates and markets. On highways, several vendors sell two kg grapes at Rs100. But one kg of similar quality grapes cost Rs100,” said Prajakta Chavan, a working professional from Kothrud.
Kishor Raskar, a software professional from Hadapsar, said, “Fruits’ rates fluctuate every day. Almost all fruits are over Rs100 a kg. Ideally, seasonal fruits should be available at a reasonable price but that is not the scenario mainly due to the vendors.” As the strawberry season is about to end, the rates have skyrocketed. One kg of strawberry is being sold at Rs400- 450 in retail markets.