Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 12

Exotic fruits have caught the fancy of locals. Dragon fruit is the new arrival on the platter this year.

Ashok Kumar, a retailer said, “Dragon fruit coming from Thailand was abundantly sold in the market this season. People had an impression that consuming it will improve their platelet count and help them fight dengue.”

“As a result, demand outpaced supply and it was sold at Rs450 per kg a few weeks ago. Now, it costs Rs250 per kg. A large number of people have been affected by dengue this season,” he said.

Traditionally, locals have been savouring the fruit originating from Afghanistan. Pomogrenate, known as ‘Kandhari anar’, indicates a geographical region in Afghanistan, where the fruit originates. Sarda, a yellow melon, and Red Globe grapes, too, have become a hit among residents. A 3-kg kiwi box, shipped from Australia and Iran, sells for Rs500 in the wholesale market.

Kanwaljit Singh Pahwa, a wholesale fruit merchant, said, “The exotic fruits are coming to the local market via Delhi. Fresh fruit from Afghanistan comes via Attari- Wagah joint checkpost, but it goes to Delhi. The NCR-based importers sell these fruits across north India. Barring fruits from Afghanistan, the arrival of imported fruit started five to seven years ago. Its sale is less than 10 per cent of the entire fruit sold in the country.”