Eid, Ramzan drive up fruit prices, vegetables fall on low Navratri demand

Bella Jaisinghani | TNN
 

Mumbai: What has governed prices of vegetables and fruits over the last month or so? The neighbourhood vendor may have the answer. And no, it’s not the rains. Supply continues to remain steady having only slightly improved with recent showers, but
prices fluctuate as festivals come and go. Areas where people are fasting for Navratri are seeing vegetables turn cheaper while those where Muslims were feasting Eid-ul-Fitr saw them more or less steady.
    Monday stood on the strange cusp of two festivals, swinging between two extremes. “For instance, the price of watermelon will come down now that Ramzan festivities are over but custard apple will hold its own,’’ said Pravin Wagh of the Crawford Market fruitsellers’ association. “Muslims are not allowed to spit out anything they eat at the end of the fast, so they prefer watermelon which they can deseed, rather than custard apple whose seeds must be removed from the mouth.’’
    The municipal market in Andheri west aptly reflects this trend given that buyers from both communities visit it for festival purchases. The weekend of September 20 saw a marked difference from the previous one of September 13.
    “Last week prices were driven by the items needed during Ramzan while this week the advent of Navratri has brought in some variation,’’ one vendor said.
On Sunday, the price of certain vegetables decreased by up to Rs 10 per kg because of fall in demand during the Navratri fast. Lady finger sold for Rs 20 per kg
    as against Rs 30 per kg while
    beetroot came for Rs 16 per kg, cheaper by Rs 4. Cauliflower was available for Rs 34 per kg as against Rs 40 the previous weekend. “A large number of people fast during Navratri, either consuming only liquids or eating one meal a day. And when they do eat, they abstain from several vegetables and choose those described as fasting foods,’’ another hawker said.
    The price of fruits, meanwhile, is expected to stabilise after Tuesday once Eid festivities are done with. “People were shocked by the feverish rise in the cost of papaya as it reached Rs 30 per kg during Ramzan,’’ laughs Wagh. “On Tuesday we expect it will settle down to Rs 20-25 per kg.’’
    Flowers are another indicator of the festival sentiment. At Andheri market, Rs 10 bought four strings of mogra on September 13 but only two on September 20. The ‘veni’ which sold for Rs 5 the previous week now cost double that amount. “Last week women were buying for themselves, now they are offering it to the goddess,’’ laughed a florist. Fruit Platter Market Fruit prices and at at Andheri Crawford (west Market ) Municipal APPLES (INDIAN)
Andheri:
Rs 70-80 per kg
Crawford Market:
Rs 100 per kg
ORANGES Andheri:
Rs 80-90 per dozen
Crawford Market:
Rs 90-120 per dozen
APPLES (IMPORTED)
Andheri:
Rs 120-140 per kg
Crawford Market: Rs 140-160 per kg
WATERMELON Andheri:
Rs 30 per kg
Crawford Market:
Rs 30 per kg
PAPAYA
Andheri:
Rs 30 per kg
Crawford Market:
Rs 30 per kg
BANANA Andheri:
Rs 30 per dozen
Crawford Market:
Rs 30 per dozen