Sweltering heat in Patna affects perishable food item business

PATNA: Hot weather has badly hit all sections of the market, especially those related to perishable food items. The high temperatures are leading to early decay of the foods, be it fruits, vegetables or fishes, and those being procured from far away states. Sometimes, due to delay in the arrival of a large chunk of consignments compels traders to sell it at low profit margin or even at no profit no loss.
General secretary of Patna Fruit Merchant Association, Bhuttu Khan, who primarily deals in apple and mango trade, said the variation in temperatures are having an adverse impact on the fruits. "For instance, we get apples from Kashmir and the moment the truck enters Jammu, the temperature changes. There are cases when the vehicles get stuck for some reason, it can be due to a technical snag, traffic jam or an accident, in such situation the long parking of vehicles in the sun leads to total decay of fruits and we suffer loss," said Khan.
He also gave an example of grapes being brought from Nasik which is experiencing rainfall these days, and when these wet grapes enter the area of high temperature like Bihar, there are high chances of getting rotten. The retailers mostly sell the fruits in the shop which are non-air conditioned or on the cart. "They have to sell the fruits in a day, otherwise fruits will decay in such hot temperature," said Khan, adding "fruits which can be stored for nearly two weeks at temperature of around 30 to 35C, get destroyed after two days when the temperature goes beyond 40C."
Another businessman Parmendra Kumar, alias Mantu from wholesale fruit market at Bazar Samiti, also had similar grievance. Mantu said though he procures raw bananas from places like Chennai, a little delay in the arrival makes the fruit ripe on the way due to high temperature. "While I get Rs 300 to Rs 500 for around 15 to 20 dozens of bananas, in case of the ripen ones I am compelled to sell them for not more than Rs 100 for the same quantity. We are even going for no profit and no loss business at the moment, or simply circulating the money in the market," said Mantu. He said one truck has nearly 20 tonnes of the fruit and takes around three days to reach Patna. In such hot weather, around 20% of the fruit gets ripened on the way.
Apart from fruits, traders into fish business too said that their business had been hit because of the scorching temperature. Secretary of Rajya Machhli Vayvasayaya Sangh, Gautam Sahni said, "We procure fishes from Andhra Pradesh, which comes in packed boxes with ice. However, due to high temperatures, the ice starts melting on the way. The problem aggravates when there is delay on the route."