According to traders, fruits like apples, watermelons, green grapes, black grapes, sugarcane, Chinese pears and banana have become dearer by as much as Rs 35 per kg in the capital. However, prices of fruits like papaya and pomegranates have come down due to rise in supply volume.[break]
Officials of Nepal Fruits Wholesaler Association (NFWA) said the Kuleshwar market was receiving around 90 tons of fruits a day, up from 40 tons a day recorded a couple of weeks ago. Improved supplies, however, have failed to bring fruit prices down.
On Tuesday, black grapes were priced at Rs 160 per kg, up from last week´s Rs 130 per kg. Price of green grapes too has increased from last week´s Rs 80 to Rs 100 per kg. Similarly, prices of small and big apples have increased by Rs 20 per kg each to Rs 175 and Rs 150 per kg respectively.
Price of watermelon has increased by Rs 5 per kg, making it Rs 35 per kg, while Chinese apples are selling at higher price of Rs 100 per kg.
However, prices of papaya and pomegranates have come down due to improved supplies. On Tuesday, pomegranate was sold at Rs 200 per kg, down from last week´s Rs 225 per kg, while papaya was priced Rs 30 per kg - a rise of Rs 5 per kg.
Arjun Prasad, a trader at Kuleshwar market, said prices of fruits like pineapple, banana, sugarcane, papaya and apple that are used to make juice have increased because many people drink fruit juices to beat the summer heat.
Nepal meets most of the demand for fruits through imports. “Most of the fruits are imported from India. Apple and pears, however, come from China,” Prasad told Republica.
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