The mango season in Dhaka's fruit markets is in its final stage, and the markets no longer overflow with local mangoes. With supply falling, prices of various varieties have risen abnormally at the tail end of the season. Buyers complain that the money that bought good-quality mangoes a few weeks ago now falls several times short even for poorer fruit.

A visit to fruit shops across the capital on Wednesday 5 August found mainly small Amrapali, BARI-4, Katimon, Fazli and Ashwina mangoes on sale. Small Amrapali sold for Tk 250 to Tk 270 a kg, BARI-4 for Tk 130 to Tk 190, Katimon for Tk 80 to Tk 140, Fazli for Tk 100 to Tk 150 and Ashwina for Tk 60 to Tk 80.

Sellers say no new mangoes are arriving as the season ends, and what does arrive cannot meet demand. The few mangoes now on the market come mainly from Rajshahi.

Only a few weeks ago large, good-quality Amrapali sold in the capital for Tk 60 to Tk 80 a kg, small Amrapali for Tk 30 to Tk 50, BARI-4 for Tk 50 to Tk 70 and Fazli for Tk 40 to Tk 60. The same varieties now cost several times as much.

Buyers accept that prices go up a little late in the season, but say this year's increase is larger than in other years. Usually at this stage Amrapali costs Tk 120 to Tk 160 a kg and BARI-4 Tk 80 to Tk 120; this year Amrapali is above Tk 250 and BARI-4 is nearly Tk 200. The same type of mango sells for Tk 120 a kg in one place and Tk 180 in another, which they say shows traders set prices as they please because there are no pricing rules.

Md Nasir Uddin, a private-sector employee shopping at Rampura market, said he bought large Amrapali for under Tk 80 a few days ago, but sellers now want Tk 250 a kg for small ones, and some ask Tk 280. "Everyone in my family loves mangoes, but buying at this price is impossible," he said. He settled for the cheaper BARI-4, which still cost Tk 150 a kg.

Apurbo Raihan of Khilgaon said he came to buy mangoes because in-laws were visiting. He found Amrapali in one place at Tk 260 a kg and BARI-4 at Tk 180, so he bought Fazli at Tk 120 a kg. "A few days ago Fazli cost Tk 50 a kg. Now you can't even get Ashwina for Tk 50. Mangoes have become a luxury fruit. I wouldn't have bought any if my in-laws hadn't come," he said.

Sumaiya Sumi of Malibagh said she had eaten many varieties through the season, but only a handful are left and they are expensive. She recently bought banana mangoes at Tk 120 a kg when Amrapali cost Tk 60 to Tk 80; this time she could not find banana mangoes and paid Tk 250 a kg for two kilos of Amrapali. "Everyone at home loves mangoes and you can't get them all year, nor can you store them for long, so we are still trying to enjoy a little of the seasonal fruit," she said.

Md Pappu of Banasree said good mangoes are hard to find late in the season and expensive when you do. He bought two kilos of Fazli after trying several shops. "Prices rise at the end of every season, but more this year. Last year I bought Amrapali at Tk 150 to Tk 160 at this stage. This year it is over Tk 250, and in a few days it may reach Tk 300. Amrapali tastes good, so demand is high," he said.

Aklima Akter, a housewife in Middle Badda who bought from a van, said her son had been asking for mangoes for days, but market prices were abnormal. She bought a kilo and a half of Ashwina from the van at Tk 60 a kg, saying other mangoes were beyond her family's means.

Md Titu, a fruit seller at Rampura market, said mangoes would be available for only a few more days. Himsagar and Langra are gone; Ashwina and BARI-4 are the most plentiful. Ashwina is somewhat sour, so demand and prices are lower, while the small quantity of Amrapali coming from Rajshahi tastes very good and fetches more. "Mangoes no longer come in truckloads. Only small quantities arrive each day, so prices are high at the wholesale depots and we have to sell higher too," he said, adding that Amrapali may be gone in about a week.

Ashadul Islam, a fruit trader in Badda, said he now sells less than a quarter of what he sold daily at the start of the season, as many people walk away on hearing the price. Ashwina sells reasonably because it is cheaper, and Katimon sells a little; it is sweet and fleshy, though not as tasty as Amrapali, and some buy it because it is cheaper and not sour.

Md Jahangir, a seller in Khilgaon, said BARI-4, Fazli, Katimon and Ashwina were the main sellers, with very little Amrapali arriving, making it the most expensive. BARI-4 and Fazli will soon disappear, leaving Katimon, which is now available almost all year. He said Katimon, now at Tk 120 a kg, could reach Tk 200.

Abdur Rahim, a fruit trader in Malibagh, said customers are shocked by the prices, but sellers have no choice when wholesale prices rise. His sales have fallen too: customers who bought 5 to 10 kg at a time a little while ago now buy 1 to 2 kg, cutting his profit.

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