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Summer fruits are here again

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

Summer fruits, including watermelons, cucumber and palmyra on sale at Maraimalai Adigal Salai in Puducherry.

PUDUCHERRY: With temperatures soaring by the day, seasonal fruits such as water melon, cucumber and tender Palmyra fruit (nungu) have started to arrive in Puducherry in the last few weeks. This summer, escape the brunt of the scorching sun with these delicious fruits.

For fruit lovers, a wide variety is available this season. With water melon and Palmyra leading the pack of summer fruits, oranges, mosambi, grapes and cucumber have found their way into the markets.

But it might not be the best season for fruit sellers as low supply and escalating costs have left them with nominal sales.

“There is no proper supply of water melon this year due to the rains. The fruits are mainly supplied from Tindivanam and Kancheepuram. A land, which can yield four to five tonnes of water melons, has given only a tonne,” M. Venkatesan, a seller said.

A kilo of water melon is sold at Rs.6 and the season, which begun in March, would go on for two months.

“The supply is less and the rates are increasing. The rates were almost half last year and customers are comparatively less due to the cost,” he said.

However, water melons can help to keep the body cool. “Cucumber is also good for health during summer. The fruits are supplied from Villupuram. We sell a kilo of the fruit for Rs.10,” A. Krishnamurthy, another fruit seller said.

After water melon, it is Palmyra, which has the most takers. One of the most favourite summer fruits, Palmyra is supplied from Suramangalam. “I sell seven pieces of the fruit for Rs.10. The rates are very high when compared to last year, but we cannot do anything about it as the supply is less,” Kumaraguru, a seller, pointed out.

At the Uzhavar Sandhai near the Old Bus Terminus, it is oranges, grapes and mosambi that have gained adequate patronage from customers.

“This is the season for mangoes, but the supply is not proper due to less yield. A kilo of oranges cost Rs.40, while that of mosambi is Rs.25. Seedless grapes are sold for Rs. 40. The season for these fruits would go on for two or three months more,” Ravi, a fruit seller, said.

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Summer fruits are here again

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