Himachal Apples flood Hyderabad:
A bumper crop of apples in Himachal Pradesh has resulted in a sharp drop in apple prices in the city.
Fruit sales have increased at all of the city’s local fruit markets. The average cost of an apple is Rs.15, compared to earlier prices of four for Rs.100, with retail markets seeing brisk sales.
Apples arrive in the city in July and August from various districts in Himachal Pradesh, with the Shimla variety popular here. Shimla, Kinnaur, Chamba, Kullu, Mandi, and Lahaul-Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh are among the places where it is grown. “Pricing is determined by apple quality. The smaller one is less expensive, while the larger one is more costly. Shimla apples taste similar to those grown in Kashmir, and there aren’t as many varieties,” said Mohammed Tajuddin, a fruit commission agent, adding that the colour of the apple was also considered when pricing it.
Apples arrive at the Batasingaram fruit market, Mozamjahi market, and Gudimalkapur market beginning in July and continuing until mid-November. Arrivals began in the first week of August this year, and 15 to 20 truckloads are now arriving in Batasingaram from Himachal Pradesh.
We expect arrivals to reach 40 trucks per day in the coming days,” Batasingaram market secretary Narasimha Reddy said, adding that the Kashmir variety of apple was expected to arrive in Hyderabad next month and would remain there until the end of November.
Between 600 and 1,000 boxes, each containing 50, 150, or 180 apples, are transported in a truck. “A box containing 180 pieces of apples is currently sold in wholesale markets for between Rs. 1200 and Rs. 1400 per box. Prices for high quality are a little more expensive, according to Reddy.
Customers were buying at least half a dozen apples, according to Khaja Miya, a pushcart vendor in Mehdipatnam. “Sales were not encouraging due to Covid’s impact on supply.” “Business is very good right now,” he said.
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