The Hindu : New Delhi News : Apple going out of reach of common man

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 29, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Apple going out of reach of common man

Sujay Mehdudia

COSTLY AFFAIR: A wholesale dealer sorting out apples at Azadpur fruit market in Delhi on Friday. Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma

NEW DELHI: There seems to be no relief in sight for Delhiites from the skyrocketing prices of vegetables and fruits. A bad crop in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir has pushed the apple prices to more than double the rates prevailing here at this time last year.

With tomatoes already having shown their "true colour" selling for up to Rs. 40 to 45 per kg in the city this season, apples do not seem far behind. And this time round, no subsidy or small retail outlets will save the situation. With the apple season beginning on a low-key note due to poor arrivals from Himachal Pradesh, prices seem to be going beyond the reach of the common man.

The fruit and vegetable wholesale market at Azadpur has seen a high opening for initial arrivals of apple boxes from Shimla and Kullu districts. For instance, the best royal delicious variety from Himachal is fetching around Rs. 1,600 for an 18-kg box. The rates of poor quality apples are also hovering around Rs. 800 for an 18-kg box. This is a sharp increase over the prices prevailing in the market during the last few years. For instance, last year an 18-kg box of good quality apples fetched a price of Rs. 800 and the poor variety fetched around Rs. 300 per 18-kg box.

According to Shimla Apple Merchants' Association general secretary Girdhari Lal, things are going to be a bit difficult on the apple price front this season. While the crop was very poor in Himachal Pradesh this year, direct intervention of the multinational companies at the village level has complicated the situation, he says.

"There was hardly 25 per cent crop compared to last year in the hill State and this is already having a telling affect on the prices. Apples for export to other States and for sale in Delhi are selling at very high prices taking the fruit out of the reach of the common man. The retail price of apple is likely to hover around Rs. 50 to Rs. 90 per kg for good quality this season," he adds.

There is little hope of the prices coming down in the near future as the crop is not good in Jammu and Kashmir either this year.

The crop from Kashmir starts arriving around September with the early varieties. The situation is no different for the top quality apples from Kinnaur in Himachal that arrive around early November due to high altitude of the region. As for imported apples, they are beyond the reach of the common man as they cost Rs. 100 to Rs. 150 in the retail market.

"The vast majority of people do not buy imported apples because of the taste and also because they cannot afford it," says Mr. Girdhari Lal.

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