Fruits are in great demand for breaking the fast during the holy month of Ramadan. This year, the market in Kerala is dominated by foreign varieties and those brought from other Indian states. In fact, fruits native to Kerala are hard to find in fruit shops in the state.
“The biggest demand is for watermelon, which is grown mostly in Andhra. Apart from the common variety, Irani and the one with yellow flesh are also popular,” said a local trader at Tirur in Malappuram district.
Other fruits available include apples of Red Turkey, Iran and Green varieties; orange imported from Morocco; dragon fruit; kiwi; sapota; gooseberry; butter fruit; shamam and papaya. The type of grapes named ‘globe’ is also extremely popular.
Not all stocks of these fruits are imported. Some of these foreign-origin varieties are cultivated in parts of India too.
“Many customers seek mangoes such as Natasala, Mallika, Priyoor, Malgova, Romania and Salem,” said the trader.
However, the price of lemon has witnessed a steep hike, putting off several buyers. In Tirur market, a kg of lemon now costs around Rs 200, while it was Rs 120 a few days ago.
Tirur is the main wholesale market supplying fruits to shops in all parts of Malappuram district.