Although Ramadan is nearly half over, fruit prices in Madaripur remain high, and buyers are struggling to afford fruit.

Enquiries found that fruit prices have risen abnormally at Puranbazar, the town's main commercial centre, as well as at Iterpul, Chourasta, the municipal market and in shops in the town's lanes. The district's largest wholesale fruit market is in the same situation, with high prices there too.

Depending on type, watermelons are selling wholesale at Tk 300 to Tk 600 each, pineapples at Tk 20 to Tk 60 and bangi melons at Tk 40 to Tk 60. Guavas sell at Tk 100 to Tk 130 a kg, apples at Tk 250 to Tk 300, grapes at Tk 450 to Tk 550 and malta at Tk 280 to Tk 330. Prices of various seasonal fruits have also risen by Tk 30 to Tk 70 a kg, pushing up retail prices as well.

Mohammad Ohiduzzaman, who came to Puranbazar to buy fruit, told Jagonews: "Abroad, food prices fall when Ramadan comes. In our country it is the opposite. Every year, the price of everything rises when Ramadan arrives, and fruit prices have gone up a lot too."

Anwar Hossain, a wholesaler from Mostafapur, said: "Supply is lower than demand, so prices are a little higher. We also have to buy at higher prices, so we have to sell at higher prices."

Iterpul fruit seller Ayuib Ali said: "There is nothing we can do. We have to buy fruit at high prices, so we have to sell at high prices too."

Madaripur Sadar upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Wadia Shabab said regular market monitoring is being carried out to keep fruit prices under control, and mobile courts will be run to take action against anyone charging too much.

Deputy commissioner Md Jahangir Alam said several teams from the district administration and the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection are working in the field for Ramadan, and legal action is being taken quickly wherever complaints of overpricing are received.

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