Fruit prices doubles due to lockdown

Amid strict lockdown due to the surge of Covid-19 infection, people have been buying more fruits to boost immunity, which also fueled a price hike.

Compared to last week, prices escalated to Tk40-80 in some cases. Meanwhile, the price of some fruits doubled within a week.

Speaking to some fruit sellers in the capital on Monday, they said that as the demand peaked at retail and wholesale prices have shown an upward trend.

“Prices of malta and mangoes were down last week. After Eid, sellers intentionally hiked the prices sensing the demand,” Rifat Ahmed, a fruit buyer at Azimpur said.

“My mother felt sick. I am buying some mangoes, grapes and malta for her,” he added. 

Also read - Surprise, surprise, Mango is the king of juice market in Bangladesh

Another consumer Sayeed Haque Mithu said: “Syndicates are everywhere. They control everything. Both wholesale and retail prices are up.”

Citing the price of mango, he elaborated that, Fajli mango was Tk25-30 per kg. This week, it became Tk50-60, which is double.

Anjum Khatun, another fruit buyer said: “Due to dengue and coronavirus, people are feeling sick and fever and cold-related diseases appearing common to most of the families. To boost immunity, the need for fruits especially with vitamin C has increased.”

Corresponding to the price hike, fruit seller Saiful Islam said: “Demand for fruits has grown significantly as a result of the pandemic. On the other hand, the mango season is coming to an end. So, the price is also rising. However, if there was no lockdown, the price would have been a little lower.”

Referring to retail prices, he said: “Malta, which was sold at Tk130 kg before Eid, is now being sold at Tk170-180 kg. Similarly, apples of Tk150-160 kg are being sold for Tk180-200.”

He furthermore believes that, as the prevalence of coronavirus increases across the country, people are buying more and more fruits.

Another fruit seller Kamran Bepari said: “We bought at a higher price, so we are selling at a higher price.”

“Due to the lockdown, fruit imports are less than usual. So, the price of fruit has gone up. Prices of almost all fruits, including mangoes, malta and apples, have doubled in a week,” he added.

Tanmoy Sarker, another fruit seller, said that prices of all types of mangoes are rising. 

“Price of amrapali has gone up the most, which is being sold at Tk80-100 per kg. It was Tk40-50 earlier. Fajli became Tk70 per kg, which was Tk25-30. Guava is being sold at Tk60-70 per kg, earlier it was Tk30-50.”

“Malta is now being sold in the market at Tk60-180 per kg, and Anar is being sold for a minimum of Tk300 to 400 per kg. Lotcon is being sold at Tk80-120 per kg,” he added.

He also said that the prices are up at the wholesale level. So they have to sell it at a higher price. If prices remained stable, more fruits would have been sold and they would also have a good profit.

Sheikh Abdul Karim, general secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan Fruit Importers, Exporters, Storekeepers and Traders Association, said that the number of coronavirus infections from the delta variant surged a lot in the country. 

Also read - Lalmonirhat farmer finds success in dragon fruit cultivation

Since lots of patients are coming to the capital from different parts of the country, the demand for fruits also increased.

“Lockdown has been going on at different times since April this year. The transportation of fruits has been disrupted due to that. So, the price of fruit may go further up,” he added.

“However, the price did not increase much as there were more imported fruits in the market,” he claimed.

“There is not much difference in the prices in the warehouses, we get complaints that the sellers are increasing the prices in the retail market. However, the wholesalers are not responsible for this extra price,” Sheikh Abdul Karim further said.