Watermelons are selling at high prices in Chandpur even though supply is good. In the town's Chowdhury Ghat area, a watermelon costs Tk 300-700 depending on size, and buyers are struggling to afford them.

Harun Hawlader, former general secretary of the Chowdhury Ghat traders' association, said some watermelons began arriving at the market from the start of Ramadan, and now large quantities are coming in. Demand is very high now, so prices are high too.

He said the full watermelon season has not yet begun, which is why some are a little immature. Small watermelons are selling for Tk 30,000-40,000 per 100 pieces, medium ones for Tk 50,000-55,000, and large ones for Tk 60,000-70,000.

A buyer in the Railway Court Station area, who did not want to be named, said: "The price of watermelon is nothing but robbery. I will stop eating watermelon. How can a small watermelon cost Tk 400? The traders have started oppressing us."

Watermelon trader Munaf Miji said: "We have to buy watermelons from the wholesale depot at high prices, and there are various other costs as well. How can we make it pay if we don't sell at higher prices?"

Nur Hossain Rubel, assistant director of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection in Chandpur, said drives are being carried out every day in different parts of the district, and fruit traders in various places in the town have already been fined. Drives will be carried out wherever there are complaints, he said.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.