Pomegranate prices plummet sharply in Hyderabad
Hyderabad Prices of pomegranate have plummeted sharply in the city with the fruit now sold for Rs 10 each as against Rs 30 two weeks ago. In the last few days, the number of traders who are selling the fruit in pushcarts across Hyderabad has increased even as people continue to crowd the carts to buy their favourite fruit, which is well-known for its taste and nutritional value.
Pomegranates arrive in the city from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and are also grown locally in Telangana. In Maharashtra, it is grown widely in Jalna, Aurangabad, Pune, Ahmednagar, Sangli, Sholapur and Washi while in Karnataka in Kolar, Chikkaballapur and Bengaluru Rural, Belagavi and Bagalkot and transported to Batasingaram market.
“Due to rains, the crop suffered damage and shelf life of the fruit decreased to just two or three days as against seven to eight days. Hence at low prices, the traders want to sell it off before it gets inconsumable,” a fruit trader at Batasingaram market said.
The prices are expected to further drop in the coming days as the traders are not finding many takers for the fruits due to the myth of contracting cold and fever after eating them. “If at all, anyone comes to us they pick up two or three fruits and leave,” said Nizamuddin, a fruit vendor at City College, Petlaburj.
Horticulture officials point out that the pomegranate crop was damaged due to recent heavy rains in the country. “The pomegranate crop suffered damages in rains and developed blight and wilt diseases due to high exposure to rains. Although the yield has come down, the farmers are selling it at lower prices to at least make up some losses. Hence the prices could be down,” said an official of the Horticulture Department.
The blight and wilt disease leaves the fruit with black spots and cracked surfaces, thereby reducing the quality. Hence there is little demand. The officials at the Batasingaram market expect that prices will once again increase by next month when the new crop will come.
