Prices of fruits have shot up ahead of Pahela Baishakh, the Bangla New Year festival in lockstep with the growing demand from consumers.
The day is celebrated on April 14 in Bangladesh with great festivity.
Prices of seasonal watermelon, wood apple, green mango, guava, pineapple, imported orange, grapes, apple, pomegranate, malta and pear increased significantly between 18 per cent and 25 per cent, according to trading sources.
Though the market is now flooded with watermelon from Patuakhali, Barishal and Dinajpur in last three weeks, the price of the item witnessed a hike between Tk 40-Tk 80 in a week.
It was selling at Tk 180-Tk 350 per piece based on size and quality.
Wood apple of different quality and size was selling between Tk 50 and Tk 250 per piece, green mango was selling at Tk 120-Tk 180 a kg.
Orange was selling at Tk 220-Tk 240, grapes Tk 250, apple and pear of different varieties Tk 180-Tk 260, pomegranate Tk 340-Tk 360, malta Tk 180-Tk 200 a kg---Tk 50-Tk 80 hike in a week.
Pineapple was the cheaper fruit selling at Tk 25 to Tk 60 a piece.
Iqbal Hasan Mithu, a fruit vendor at Shankar Nizam Plaza in Dhanmondi told the FE that watermelon wholesalers in Badamtoli, Sadarghat and Beribadh areas were making hefty profits following the rising demand ahead of the Baishakh festival.
"I bought 'Patenga Giant' variety of watermelon at Tk 250-Tk 270 per piece from Badamtoli on Saturday which was Tk 180-Tk 200 few days back," he said.
Mamunur Rashid, another vendor told the FE that importers raised the prices of foreign fruits by 20-25 per cent in last one week.
"We are buying orange at Tk 165-Tk 170 a kg, pomegranate at Tk 320a kg from Ahsanullah Road, Badamtoli during the last few days," he said.
Md Mursalin, a fruit wholesaler at Beribadh-Rayer Bazar told this correspondent that the harvesting of melon has just started at Patuakhali, Barguna and Barishal districts and farmers are charging much higher.
He said demand for the fruit has increased by many folds following the Baishakh festival prompting rise in prices.
Contacted, Bangladesh Fresh Fruits Importers Association (BFFIA) president Salimul Haque Essa told the FE that prices of some fruits including orange, grapes, pomegranate and apple rose in the exporting countries due to off season.
He said import cost of orange surged to US $ 1700-$1750 per tonne in March from $1450-$1500 a tonne in February.
