Hyderabad: With the advent of Ramzan, prices of fruits have shot up across the city. Fresh fruits form an integral part of the ‘iftar list of items’, and around the month, people buy them in huge quantities either for their own families or to send to mosques and charity institutions. A middle-class family on an average spends about Rs 3,000 on fruits alone in the month of Ramzan.
The prices of fruits have sky-rocketed in last couple of days across the city markets. An apple which was priced at Rs 20 a week ago now sells at Rs 30, while the price of mango is hovering between Rs 80 and Rs100. Banana is priced at Rs 50 a dozen while the prices of other fruits like orange, watermelon, chiku, grapes and guava have also shot up in the last two days.
“The prices have increased by almost about 50 per cent. But as it is the Day-1 of the month. We are purchasing it without bargaining,” said Basheer-uddin, a resident of Falaknuma.
Retailers attribute the price rise to short supply and increase in rates at the wholesale market.
“There is huge demand for fruits at the Gaddianaram fruit market but the supply is short. Seasonal fruits are available in plenty but others are costly,” said Syed Faheem, a retailer at Nayapul.
Rubbishing his claims, a a former member of the Gaddianaram Fruit Market Traders Association said that the prices have not increased to such a point but the retailers are looting the public.
