Although the mango season is nearly over, various mango varieties are still available in Dhaka's markets. Katimon, Kalyanbhog, Fazli, Jhinuk, Ashwina and others are selling at Tk 120 to 200 a kg, and local fruits are also in good supply and demand.

This was the picture in several markets in Mohakhali, Mirpur, Agargaon and Kalyanpur on Wednesday, 26 August.

Traders said very ripe, yellow Katimon mangoes sell at Tk 150 to 170 a kg and less ripe Katimon at Tk 180 to 190. Multai Fazli and Jhinuk sell at Tk 120 to 130 a kg, and BARI and Kalyanbhog mangoes at Tk 140 to 160 a kg. Sellers say they still sell 5 to 10 kg of mangoes a day even at the end of the season.

"Demand for local fruit is high. Amra (hog plum) and pomelo are selling well. Customers are still buying mangoes; I sell 5 to 10 kg a day," said Jahangir, a fruit seller at Mirpur-11.

Besides mangoes, local fruits on sale include guava, amra, pomelo, sugarcane, gab (velvet apple), wood apple and watermelon. Large Thai guavas sell at Tk 50 to 70 a kg and amra at Tk 60 to 80. Depending on quality and size, a pomelo costs Tk 50 to 100 and a piece of sugarcane Tk 80 to 150.

Local bananas sell at Tk 50 to 60 a dozen, ripe papaya at Tk 80 to 100 a kg, small watermelons at Tk 60 to 70, local malta at Tk 100 to 120 and dragon fruit at Tk 150 to 170 a kg. Green coconuts cost Tk 130 to 250 depending on size, and pineapples Tk 70 each or Tk 120 to 130 a pair.

Imported apples, oranges, malta, grapes and pomegranates are relatively expensive. Apples sell at Tk 280 to 320 a kg, malta at Tk 320 to 350, red grapes at Tk 550 to 600, local grapes at Tk 300 to 350, pomegranates at Tk 450 to 500 and oranges at Tk 250 to 300.

Rashed, a fruit seller at the BNP Bazar in Agargaon, said imported fruit prices were relatively high. Local fruits, on the other hand, are tasty and cheaper, so a large share of buyers are now turning to them.

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