Local Fruits See Rising Demand in Dhaka

Shoppers at various kitchen markets across the capital told UNB they are purchasing more local fruits this year, attracted by both their quality and reasonable prices. An abundance of seasonal fruits such as watermelon, pineapple, plum, wood apple, sweet sop, strawberry, custard apple, muskmelon, gooseberry, and sapodilla was observed in markets.

Razzak Mia, a fruit vendor at Karwan Bazar, mentioned that local fruit demand has surged, especially during Ramadan, thanks to their freshness and budget-friendly prices. “The prices of domestic fruits are lower compared to previous years, which has driven higher sales,” said Razzak, who has been selling fruits for 12 years.

Fresh fruit traders have been keeping profit margins low this Ramadan to maintain affordability for consumers.

Meanwhile, dates were selling between Tk400 and Tk1,600 per kg, depending on quality, but saw a price drop of Tk60 to Tk200 ahead of Ramadan. Nuruddin Ahmed, Secretary of the Bangladesh Fresh Fruits Importer Association (BFFIA), noted that imported fruit prices have remained stable due to increased supply, despite some tax challenges.

On Thursday, fruit prices were as follows:

    Watermelon: Tk40–50 per kg
    Pineapple: Tk40–70 per piece
    Plum: Tk80–140 per kg
    Wood Apple: Tk60–100 per piece
    Sweet Sop: Tk250–350 per kg
    Strawberry: Tk400–500 per kg
    Gooseberry (Amloki): Tk240 per kg
    Muskmelon: Tk80–100 per piece

Imported fruit prices also remained stable, though some items like apples and dates saw slight price increases:

    Orange: Tk320–360 per kg
    Malta: Tk280 per kg
    Green Apple: Tk420 per kg
    China Fuji Apple: Tk320–340 per kg
    Pomegranate: Tk350–400 per kg
    White Pear: Tk330–360 per kg
    Green Pear: Tk400–450 per kg
    Red and Black Grapes: Tk450–500 per kg

Though the prices of some Ramadan-specific items have remained stable, the costs of daily essentials continue to rise. Consumers noted the challenges of high prices for items like fish, meat, and some vegetables despite government efforts to reduce taxes and VAT. Prices for items such as chickpeas, lentils, and onions have been declining, while the cost of loose edible oil has increased slightly due to a shortage of bottled soybean oil.

On Thursday, loose palm oil was priced at Tk150 per kg, and bottled soybean oil at Tk175 per liter.