New local fruits have reached the market, and imported fruit prices have eased somewhat as a result. But buyers find no relief even at "these lower prices", as a kilo of good-quality apples still costs Tk 280 to 320. Buyers say a few years ago a kilo of good apples could be bought for Tk 200, and the government should work to bring fruit prices within people's reach.

This emerged from conversations with buyers and sellers in the capital's Karwan Bazar, Farmgate and Shewrapara areas on Thursday (8 January).

At several fruit shops in Shewrapara, Ibrahimpur and Farmgate, good-quality apples were selling at Tk 280 to 320 a kg, ordinary apples at Tk 250, oranges at Tk 250 to 260, pomegranates at Tk 420, grapes at Tk 420 to 450 and pears at Tk 350 a kg.

Fruit sold from vans was cheaper. At several vans in Karwan Bazar, apples were Tk 220, oranges Tk 200 and malta Tk 180. In some places oranges were selling at Tk 160 a kg, and vendors calling "oranges and apples Tk 200" were doing brisk business.

Mannan, a fruit seller in Ibrahimpur, told Jago News: "It is now the season for imported fruit, and also for local fruit. Demand for fruit is lower because of the cold. For these reasons fruit prices are somewhat lower than at other times." He said local plums (boroi) and guavas are selling well, so people are less interested in imported fruit. "People buy one or two kilos of fruit when visiting someone or a patient."

Farmgate fruit trader Muhin said much the same. He told Jago News that good apples had gone up to Tk 380 and he is now selling them at Tk 280 to 320. Malta could not be bought below Tk 350 but is now selling at Tk 250 a kg. All fruit prices are Tk 50 to 100 a kg lower, he said.

Kakoli, a resident of Aftabnagar, was buying fruit with her child on the pavement in front of the Prothom Alo building in Karwan Bazar. She told Jago News: "I have to buy fruit regularly for my child. Prices are a bit lower than at other times, but fruit is still not within ordinary people's reach."

At Farmgate, Samiur Rahman said: "Earlier you could easily buy two kilos of fruit for Tk 500. Some fruits still cost over Tk 400 a kilo, and Tk 1,000 buys no more than 3 kilos. At these prices ordinary people cannot really afford fruit."

In Karwan Bazar, Fahim said: "I still have to think before buying fruit, even though prices are a bit lower. Sometimes I buy half a kilo, which I never did before. I have been forced to buy less fruit."

The new local fruit, boroi (jujube plum), has reached the market, along with guavas. Plums were selling at Tk 100 to 250 a kg depending on the type, and guavas at Tk 80 to 120 a kg.

Karwan Bazar fruit seller Arman Mia told Jago News: "Plums arrived 10 to 15 days ago, so prices are high because they are new. They are likely to fall in about a week." He said he is selling good-quality apple plums at Tk 250 a kg and Ball Sundari plums at Tk 200 a kg.

Demand for bananas has fallen because of the cold. Good-quality sabri bananas sell at Tk 30, champa at Tk 20 and sagar at Tk 50 a hali (four). Karwan Bazar banana seller Abdus Samad said there is no demand for bananas now as people eat fewer, and there are also fewer bananas in the market. Nepali bananas are cheap, but bananas from Narsingdi are still expensive, he said.

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