The fruit market in Narayanganj has still not settled. Prices are somewhat lower than before, but buyers are not returning; they say fruit is still selling at high prices.

Dates, grapes, pomegranates, apples and other fruits, known as staples of iftar, remain beyond the reach of ordinary people, a tour of the town's markets and fruit shops found. Buyers complain that some traders are making excess profits by exploiting the extra demand around Ramadan.

According to fruit sellers, Medjool dates are the most expensive at Tk 1,400-1,500 a kg. Mariam dates sell at Tk 1,200-1,250, Kalmi Mariam at Tk 800-900, Sukkari at Tk 800 and Minifi dates at Tk 500-600 a kg. Pomegranates were selling at Tk 500-620, black grapes at Tk 600 and green grapes at Tk 460.

Apples sell at Tk 400-450 a kg depending on type, pears at Tk 400 and oranges at Tk 360-400 a kg. Malta sells at Tk 350 a kg. Among cheaper fruits, papaya sells at Tk 160-180, jujube (boroi) at Tk 100-120, guava at Tk 100-120 and wood apple (bel) at Tk 120-150 a kg.

Sabri and Sagar bananas sell at Tk 150 a dozen, Champa bananas at Tk 100, pineapples at Tk 100 a pair and green coconuts at Tk 100-150.

Watermelon, the new fruit of the season, is also on sale. Sellers are offering it at Tk 100 a kg, guaranteeing red flesh and sweetness.

Fruit traders said fruits that sold at normal prices before Ramadan rose by up to Tk 50-100 early in the month. Prices are now gradually falling: each fruit is down Tk 20-30 a kg since the first day of Ramadan, and could fall further.

Harun, a fruit trader in the town's No. 2 Railgate area, said: "There were many buyers at the start of Ramadan. Now there are far fewer. Apart from Fridays, we hardly get any customers."

Narayanganj district safe food officer Suraiya Saidun Nahar said regular monitoring is continuing to keep iftar food safe.

Hridoy Ranjan Banik, assistant director of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection in Narayanganj district, said markets are being monitored regularly during Ramadan, and action is taken immediately whenever a complaint is received.

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