A dozen bananas likely to cost Rs 100 in Delhi, thanks to rains and exports

The retail prices of bananas have now been spiked to Rs 100 per dozen. A staple fruit in many Indian households, buying bananas will now burn a hole in consumers' pockets, according to a report in The Times of India. 

 

Traders have attributed this spike to higher exports, rising transportation and storage costs, and a widening gap between demand and supply. Wholesalers said a 100kg crate of good quality bananas costs between Rs 2,600 and Rs 3,000 in the wholesale market. A kilogram of banana usually contains 7-8 pieces. If this is converted into a rate per dozen, the wholesale rate in mandi has touched Rs 45-50.

 

On online shopping portals and retail markets, the fruit is usually sold by weight; bananas are priced at Rs 70-80 per kilogram, whereas it is available for over Rs 100 in smaller shops and carts. 

 

Traders in western and southern states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh have blamed heavy rain and flood-like situation for this rampant price hike. Traders claimed the situation would continue for a few more weeks until the monsoon reached its peak.

 

Before this hike, a truck carrying 16 tonnes of bananas did not cost more than Rs 2.5 lakh, but it is currently priced at Rs 4.5 lakh. Traders claimed that the transportation costs had increased due to the rise in diesel prices. 

 

In an interview with The Times of India, Madan Gupta, a wholesale at Azadpur APMC, said, "Heavy rain has destroyed crops in several areas. Also, banana farmers prefer exporting good quality produce to Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, which fetch them better prices." He further added that "what we get here is either low grade quality, which perishes very early, or low supply of good quality fruit."