19 October,2014 07:16 AM IST | | Ankoor Anvekar
This Diwali, prices of figs and walnuts double over a fortnight; almond and pistachio rates 25-30 per cent higher; traders blame the recent floods in Kashmir for the decrease in supplies
Diwali, dry fruits, price hike, walnuts, almonds, figs, Vashi APMC traders, Mumbai news
Over a fortnight, prices of dry fruits, especially figs and walnuts, have doubled, say traders at Vashi's APMC market. Recent floods in Kashmir have hit supplies.
On Thursday, for instance, figs were available for Rs 300-Rs 900 per kg and walnuts for Rs 1,400-Rs 2,000 per kg. A fortnight ago, figs were cheaper by Rs 100-Rs 200, and walnuts were available at half the current price, rued traders.
Figs now cost Rs 300-Rs 900 per kg and walnuts cost Rs 1,400-Rs 2,000 per kg
Prices of almonds (now at Rs 740-Rs 800 per kg) and pistachios (available at Rs 800-Rs 850 per kg), which are mainly imported from the US and the Gulf states, have risen by R50-R60 per kg over a fortnight. In the wholesale market, cashews cost Rs 480-Rs 780 per kg and raisins Rs 300-Rs 500 per kg. In the retail markets, all dry fruits cost Rs 300-Rs 400 more than the wholesale rates. The overall price hike in the wholesale dry fruit segment is about 25-30 per cent.
They also added that fewer customers are turning up at the market as compared to last year. "Usually, we'd have people rushing to the APMC market immediately after Dasshera, but not anymore," said Mukesh Shah, a dry fruit trader at APMC market.
