Fear of Coronavirus boosts dry fruit business

KADAPA: Fear of the Coronavirus has given a tremendous boost to dry fruits business and has resulted in a five-fold increase in sales. The business is booming, thanks to doctors who are reassuring everyone that consumption of dry fruits bolsters one’s immune system.

Varieties like cashews, almonds, pistachios and dried dates, which were once found only in shops, are now widely available on roadside carts. A trader said that in the past they could not do a business of Rs 2,000 in a day whereas today the average daily sale is around Rs 10,000.

There is a firm belief that this habit is as essential as masks, sanitizers, maintaining physical distance, drugs and vaccines when it comes to containing Coronavirus from the outside.

In keeping with the surge in demand, there has been a tremendous increase in prices of dry fruits but the health-conscious people are not complaining.

A survey in Kadapa revealed that about 150 traders are selling dry fruits on carts. The product-range includes cucumbers, watermelon seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, pistachios, raisins, dried dates and walnuts. It is estimated that the volume of business purely on carts is around Rs 15 lakh a day in the district. Another Rs 15 lakh worth of business is reported from grocery and kirana shops.

Subbareddy, a professor in a private engineering college, told Deccan Chronicle that everyone in his house is having dry fruits, especially almonds that are consumed after they are soaked for a considerable time.

Rakesh Bhat, a cart trader from Rajasthan, said that his family has been in the business for many years but it has been only of late that business has picked up and that too because of the Covid fear that is haunting everyone.

Dr Mundla Sureshwar Reddy, district corona hospital coordinator at Fatima Medical College, said that dry fruits help in boosting immunity. They are rich in fibre, which improves overall health. Nuts are a great source of protein and iron, he said.