Juicy and delicious peaches hit city market

The seasonal fruit is being sold at a price less than 50% compared to last year

Veda Ramaswamy, Vashi

May 29, 2011 - DNA Navi Mumbai

Yet another delicious summer fruit has hit the local market. Navi Mumbaikars can now indulge in the sweetness of peaches that too at half the price as compared to last year. The markets have been flooded with fresh supply of peaches since Thursday. They are currently available for Rs 300-Rs 400 per box, each box containing 8-10 kilos of the fruit.

According to fruit traders, the rates have gone down by 50% this year owing to a good harvest season. “Last year, the prices of peaches were Rs 800-Rs 900 per box. Due to a severe shortage of produce, the prices had escalated. But the yield this year has been immense leading to the drastic drop in rates,” said Shrikant Chavan, a fruit trader from the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), Vashi.

APMC is receiving around 6-7 tonnes of peaches on a daily basis this season. The wholesale market imports the finest quality peaches from the hilly regions of Nainital in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. The fruit begins to grow during the winter season and is ready for sale by summer. “The fruit begins its budding season in the early winter and enters its ripening stage in mid-summer. Since the season of mangoes has almost ended, there couldn’t have been a better time for the fruit to have entered the market,” said Santosh Kanade, another fruit merchant from APMC.

The soaring temperature of the satellite city combined with the increasing health consciousness among residents has led to an increase in demand of the fruit as well, say the fruit merchants. “It’s been just three days that the fruit has been made available in the market and the demand is growing already. It’s a very healthy alternative to beat the heat. The demand is likely to increase further in the coming weeks. But the prices are expected to remain constant due to the availability of the produce in abundant quantity,” said a local peach vendor.

The news of peaches being sold at a much lesser price has bought smiles on the faces of Navi Mumbaikars. “At a time when fruits like mangoes are loaded with calories and create a hole in our pockets, peaches are the best option. They are low in calories, high in vitamins and fiber, making them an excellent choice for a summer diet,” said Shraddha Jha, a resident of Nerul. “While the prices of most of the summer fruits are soaring, the fact that peaches are being sold at a much lesser price than last season comes as a much needed respite,” said Ritu Chowdhary, a Vashi resident. The fruit is expected to be available in the market till first week of July.