Bangkok guava, a giant variety imported from Thailand, is selling for Rs 500 per kg or Rs 250 per piece in the Nepali market where local guava fetches hardly Rs 40 to Rs 50 per kg. Some other foreign fruits are also not only fetching lucrative prices but also enjoying a satisfactory demand among Nepali customers.
“Majority of customers of the imported fruits are Nepalis who have already tasted those products while outside the country,” said Ganesh Dahal, a salesman at Bhatbhateni Departmental Store.
He said expatriates, five star hotels and well-off Nepali families are the major customers of imported fruits. Such fruits ranging from guava to kiwi and red grapes to apricot are hitting Nepali fruits stores.
“Most of the imported fruits come from Thailand. Some are from China, Australia, India, Japan and Pakistan,” said Dahal. Thailand supplies Bangkok guava, cherries, red grapes, kiwi, ram bhutan and red apple whereas fugi apple is being imported from Australia. Sweet melon comes from India whereas Japanese melon is imported from Japan. “Sometimes mangoes come from Pakistan also,” said Dahal.
Though the production of fruits has been increasing within the country, the high-quality fruit market is still dependent on foreign suppliers.
Ram Krishna Duwa, a fruit and vegetable wholesaler at Kalimati market said avocado also comes to the market here from Bangkok in addition to supplies from farms in Kathmandu, Birtamod and Bhakundebensi of Kavre. He said avocado sells for Rs 350 per kg.
“Nepali high-value fruits are gradually coming into the market with the commercialization of fruit farming. However, the quantity is very nominal compared to the demand,” said Duwa, who supplies fruits and vegetables to five star hotels in Kathmandu.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, total production of fruits and spices increased by 5.4 percent to 145,000.89 tons in 2007/08 as compared to 138,000.42 tons a year earlier.
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