According to traders, prices of fruits have increased by 5-15 percent compared to prices recorded a week ago. Prices of fruits like apple, pomegranate, sweet orange, papaya, banana, pineapple, grapes and orange have increased in both wholesale and retail market. However, prices of mango and water melon have increased owing to high supply in the market. [break]
Pomegranate is currently available at Rs 200 per kg, up from last week´s Rs 190 per kg. Sweet orange, which was priced Rs 85 per kg last week, is selling at Rs 90 per kg, while banana is selling at higher price of Rs 65 per dozen. Similarly, price of apple has increased by Rs 6 per kg and is selling at Rs 68 per kg. Papaya has become costlier by Rs 3 per kg and is selling at Rs 38 per kg, while price of green grapes has increased by Rs 7 per kg to Rs 95 per kg.
Prices of mango and water melon have increased due to improved supplies. Mango is selling at Rs 60 per kg, down by Rs 20 per kg and water melon has seen price drop of Rs 2 per kg and is selling at Rs 23 per kg.
Sushma Simkhada, secretary of Nepal Fruit Wholesaler Association (NFWA), said fruit prices have increased due to rise in demand and transportation cost.
According to the association, about 150 tons of fruits enter the Kalimati market every day, up from normal daily supply of 100 tons.
Manoj Das of Jaiswal Juice Bhandar at Sundhara said price of fruits has increased also because of lack of proper storage facility. We cannot store fruits for long in the lack of such facility, said Jaiswal. “Increase in demand, however, is the major reason behind price rise,” he added.
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