Mostafizur Rahman, a resident of Rangpur city, was not happy after buying his kids' favorite fruit -- watermelon. Although he knew that the summer fruit will make them happy, Tk 380 for a watermelon was too high, compared to the previous years despite an ample supply.
“It’s impossible for many consumers to buy watermelon at this price,” Mostafizur Rahman said dryly.
The juicy fruit, which is atop the list of favorites during summer, has already coming to the market but traders and consumers said the price of the summer fruit is too high to afford for middle and low-income consumers.
Visiting the municipal market in Rangpur city, this correspondent found that vendors showcasing watermelons and consumers are bargaining the price to buy season’s first watermelon.
Vendors said the price of the fruit was higher due to transportation costs, as the fruits available in the markets now are coming from Chattogram and Barisal.
The prices of a watermelon in Rangpur city varies from Tk 55-65 per kg or higher in retail markets the prices are higher depending on sizes, colour and taste.
Vendors and consumers hopes that the price would automatically go down after the locally produced watermelons hit the market.
Watermelon is the most popular fruit in the sunny summer in this tropical weather. The country has seen a sufficient watermelon yield this season, but the consumers with the fixed income are not benefiting from the abundance of the summer fruit as the prices remain beyond their reach.
In 2022, farmers sowed seeds lately due to untimely rain and the fruits didn't mature before the Ramadan month that year. Ramadan month is the peak season for juicy watermelon marketing and sales.
