Local fruits a blessing in Ramadan amid dearer exotic ones

Fruits produced in the country, such as jujube (Boroi), banana, guava, watermelon and pineapple have become a blessing for low and middle-class people at a time when prices of exotic fruits such as apples, tangerines, grapes and pomegranates are soaring to record highs. 

As Ramadan begins, common people are counting on these native fruits for nutritious iftar (fast-breaking) recipes due to stable prices and adequate supply in the market, Abdul Karim, general secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan Fruit Importers-Exporters' Association, told The Business Standard.

However, the prices of native fruits were reported to have risen by Tk5-10 at some places yesterday afternoon on the eve of Ramadan.

Fruit importers said all foreign fruits are currently selling for Tk250 and above per kg due to various reasons including the appreciation of the US dollar, high customs duties, and complications in LC opening.

Nazmul Karim, a private employee who resides in the capital's Badda area, told TBS, "In the weeks leading up to Ramadan, the prices of foreign fruits have surged further, making local fruits the only alternative for people like myself."

"It has been almost a year and a half since I stopped buying apples. It costs a minimum of Tk250 a kg, too expensive for me. Grapes cost nearly Tk400. Now I am eating guava, banana, various types of jujubes and watermelons. Besides, the season of mango and litchi is coming soon," Nazmul Karim added.

The local market is now full of watermelons, guavas and jujubes. While guavas are available throughout the year, the peak season of jujubes is coming to an end. But in the meantime, watermelons have arrived in the market. Prices are also within the reach of most people, said traders and consumers.

At present, jujubes are selling at only Tk60-80 per kg depending on the quality in the market. Guava is available at Tk50-60 per kg. At the same time, the price of watermelon has come down recently and is selling at Tk40-45 per kg in most parts of Dhaka.

Seasonal pineapples have started arriving in the market. Apart from this, bananas, papayas, sapodillas and baels are available in the market too.

A dozen bananas are selling for Tk60-120 depending on quality and variety and a kg of papayas are selling at Tk60-120. Depending on the size, pineapples are being sold at Tk20-50 per piece.

Among the exotic fruits produced in the country are dragon fruit and strawberry, which are also available in the market to some extent.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, in the last fiscal year 2021-22, the country produced around 1.76 lakh tonnes of jujube, 4.28 lakh tonnes of guava, 29.78 lakh tonnes of banana, 25.87 lakh tonnes of watermelon and 7.13 lakh tonnes of papaya.

The total production of local fruits in the last fiscal year was around 1.40 crore tonnes, which was 1.06 crore tonnes in FY 2014-15.

According to agricultural officials, there is a plan to increase the production of fruits by one lakh tonnes in the current financial year.

The production of several fruits including jujubes, bananas, watermelons, dragon fruit and strawberries has increased many-fold over the last five fiscal years, a development that agricultural analysts said occurred as more entrepreneurs invested in fruit production.

Dr Md Mehdi Masood, project director of the Year-Round Fruit Production for Nutrition Improvement Project, told TBS, "Agricultural entrepreneurs are earning hundreds of thousands of taka from fruit gardens. This much earnings are not possible to make in traditional agriculture. These entrepreneurs made fruits available in the markets all year round."

Meanwhile, visiting the foreign fruit market, green apples are seen selling for Tk300 per kg, red ones for Tk260-320, tangerines for Tk200-220, white grapes for Tk220-250, red and black grapes for Tk350-400, pomegranates for Tk300-400 and oranges for Tk200-250.

Even a couple of years ago, most of these imported fruits were seen selling in the local market for Tk150-200.

According to the Chattogram Customs data, imports of apples, oranges, tangerines, grapes and pears among foreign fruits till 24 September of the current fiscal year amounted to over 93,000 tonnes, while the import of these fruits during the same period of the previous fiscal year was 1.39 lakh tonnes.

Apart from this, the import of dates has also decreased significantly this year. That is why dates are being sold in the market at a higher price of Tk100-300 than last year.

According to commerce ministry data, there is a demand for 50,000 tonnes of dates in Ramadan.

Traders said importing fruits is not complicated, but costly now. That is why the prices are high.

President of Bangladesh Fresh Fruits Importers' Association Sirajul Islam told TBS, "Previously, Tk300 in duty had to pay for a 20 kg pack of apples, but now it is Tk1,400. Tk30 in duty had to pay for a kg of grapes, now it is Tk100. The dollar rate is high. So all together the cost is high."

"However, we have no reason to worry because guava, banana, pineapple, and papayas are available throughout the year. People are buying more of these fruits now. As a result, dependence on exotic fruits is also decreasing," he added.