Fruit of all kinds is selling at high prices in Mymensingh's markets, with Ramadan as the target. Prices have been raised by Tk 50-250 a kg. Buyers complain that because monitoring of the fruit market is weak, dishonest traders are taking advantage of Ramadan to charge more.

The rising prices were found on a visit on Friday afternoon (13 March) to the Patgudam Bridge crossing, Station Road, Ganginarpar, Charpara and Notun Bazar areas of the divisional town.

Buyers said prices of local fruit have gone up by Tk 30 to 50 during Ramadan, and those of imported fruit by Tk 200 to 250, putting many fruits beyond their means.

In the markets, apples were selling at Tk 400 to 450 a kg depending on type, pears at Tk 400, oranges at Tk 360 to 400, malta at Tk 350, mulberries at Tk 650, green grapes at Tk 400 and black grapes at Tk 550 a kg. Among cheaper fruit, papaya was Tk 160 to 180 a kg, jujube Tk 100 to 120, guava Tk 100 to 120 and wood apple Tk 120 to 150. Watermelon was selling at Tk 100 a kg.

Dates have still not come down in price; most varieties are selling at Tk 50 to 480 more per kg, as before. Current prices a kg are: Ambar VIP Tk 1,200, Ajwa VIP Tk 1,300, Kalmi Mariam Tk 800, Jabri Tk 520, Dabbas Crown No 1 Tk 600, Lulu Tk 560, Medjool VIP Tk 1,400, Mariam VIP Tk 1,200, Sukkari VIP Tk 750, Mabroom Mariam Tk 800, Masruk Tk 450, Black Mariam Tk 900, Medjool No 1 Tk 1,600, Jabil (bunch) Tk 650, Dabbas Tk 440, Hagal Tk 520, Bijarari Tk 620, Bija Tk 180, Jihadi Tk 300, Kimi Mariam VIP Tk 1,100, Sufri Tk 650, small Ajwa Tk 950, Red Mariam Tk 850, Jihadi Tk 260 and Bija Tk 200.

Rafiqul Islam, who came to buy apples and malta, said sellers had been raising the prices of all fruit since the start of Ramadan. Now the month is nearing its end, yet prices are not coming down, and many low- and middle-income buyers cannot afford the fruit they like. Mobile court drives could bring prices down, he said, because sellers raise prices through a syndicate.

Hannan Mia, a fruit trader in Charpara, said wholesalers had raised prices, and because they sell to retailers at higher rates, prices have risen for buyers too. He sells at the same prices as other retailers, he said.

But Arshedul Alam, a commission agent in Notun Bazar, said supply of fruit was short of demand, sending prices of various fruits sky-high, though there was no shortage of buyers.

Imtiaz Ahmed Tansin, who is involved with various social organisations, said demand for nutritious fruit is highest at iftar after a day of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. Footpaths and shops display all kinds of local and imported fruit, and prices are being raised by cashing in on Ramadan, he said.

According to sources concerned, about 38 kinds of fruit are imported into the country. Annual demand is 6 lakh tonnes, but demand in Ramadan alone is more than 90,000 tonnes.

Rina Begum, deputy director of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection in Mymensingh, said the fruit market is being monitored regularly and action is taken whenever price discrepancies are found in purchase and sale receipts. Still, dishonest sellers try to raise prices when they see a chance, so the drives will continue, she said.

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