Demand for many kinds of local fruit rises during Ramadan alongside imported fruit, and prices rise with it. After Eid, however, local fruit prices have come down somewhat.

This was the picture on Saturday (5 April) at the Mirpur-1 kitchen market, the Mirpur-10 fruit stalls, Kachukhet market and several nearby markets. Traders said the supply of seasonal fruit was normal but there were few buyers.

Watermelon was selling in Dhaka's markets at Tk 55 to 60 a kg, which puts a medium-sized watermelon at Tk 350 to 400. Large watermelons were selling for Tk 600.

Abdus Sattar, a trader at the Mirpur-1 kitchen market, told Jago News that fruit supply was normal but demand was low because there were few buyers, and this had brought prices down.

He said bananas had reached Tk 60 a hali (four) during Ramadan. On the day, sabri bananas were selling at Tk 30 a hali, chinichampa at Tk 20 and sagar bananas at Tk 50.

Bangi (musk melon) was selling at Tk 60 to 70 a kg, down from Tk 100 to 120 at the start of Ramadan.

Guava prices rose during Ramadan but have fallen since Eid. At the start of Ramadan guava sold for Tk 100 to 120 a kg; it is now available at Tk 60 to 80.

A buyer named Zubayer said: "During Ramadan I paid Tk 60 for half a kilo of guava. Now that money buys a whole kilo."

Large pineapples were selling for between Tk 60 and 80, and wood apples (bel) at similar prices, though very large wood apples cost between Tk 100 and 200 depending on the market.

Green coconuts are in demand all year round, and with the heat gradually intensifying their price is high. Small ones were selling at Tk 150, medium ones at Tk 180 and large ones at Tk 200. Ripe papaya was selling at Tk 60 a kg.

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