Gala apples that sold at Tk 380 to 400 a kg just 10-12 days ago are now selling at Tk 420 to 450. Over the same few days, the prices of green apples, malta and almost every other kind of fruit have also gone up.

That was the picture at markets in Rampura, Banasree, Khilgaon, Malibagh, Shantinagar and other areas of the capital on Friday (1 August).

Over a week and a half, the price of grapes, apples and malta has risen by Tk 50 to 60 a kg.

In these markets gala apples now sell at Tk 420 to 450 a kg, green apples at Tk 400, malta at Tk 450 and red grapes at Tk 500 a kg.

Ten to twelve days ago gala apples sold at Tk 380 to 400 a kg, green apples at Tk 350, malta at Tk 350 and red grapes at Tk 450 a kg.

Sellers said prices usually rise a little at this time of year, but a sudden increase of Tk 30 to 50 is unusual. They allege a syndicate is pushing up prices, taking advantage of the rise in fever cases in the capital.

Shantinagar fruit seller Billal Hossain told Jagonews that these foreign fruits are the main food for people with fever, and prices are rising because of demand. With higher wholesale prices, retailers also have to sell at higher prices, and sales have gone up somewhat, he said.

Rampura fruit seller Mofazzal Mia said local fruits are starting to disappear from the market and mangoes are nearly finished, so both demand and prices for foreign fruit have risen.

Mango prices have also risen sharply. Amrapali is nearly over; what remains is small and much dearer, selling at Tk 220 to 250 a kg. Ashwina mangoes sell at Tk 90 a kg, the Jhinuk variety at Tk 100 to 110, Katimon at Tk 160 to 170 and Fazli at Tk 200 to 220 a kg.

Shopper Mahbuba Akter told Jagonews that her elder son has had a fever for two days and the doctor told him to eat plenty of fruit. "But fruit is so expensive. Just two kg of fruit costs a thousand taka. Looking at the prices, it seems the market is out of control," she said.

Another shopper, Saif Ahmed, said fever patients are struggling to buy fruit. "I bought 2 kg of apples for Tk 900, and malta is very expensive too; 1 kg of malta cost me Tk 450. All my income is going on fruit, but there is no way not to buy it."

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