THIS season the prices of custard apple have shot up northwards compared to prices of the previous year due to short supply. Heavy rains in July-August have severely impacted custard apple production, leading to a 30 per cent decline. “Lower production has resulted in prices risingby10percentcompared to year ago period,” said a leading wholesale agent at Mahatma Fule Market without being named while speaking to The Hitavada. The arrivals of custard apple has arelate due to delayedrains this year. To make matters worse the excess rainshavedamaged thecustard apple crop resulting in drop in production by 30 per cent compared to last year, he said. On a average 2,000 to 2,500 crates are being unloaded in the wholesale market daily.

 

The custard apples are available from Rs 100 to Rs 800 per dozen. The number of custard apple in a crate varies depending on the variety, size and quality. Prices may vary from locality to locality, he pointed out. Similarly, the custard apple is also available in basket (tokni). Abasketdependingin the sizecontains about 12 to 100 pieces of the fruit.Thecustard appleiscategorised into two groups the hard (kaccha) variety and soft (pakka) variety at the wholesalemarket.The hard (kaccha) variety are sold atlower price ascompared to the soft (pakka) variety. Thepricevariespercreate,depending on the size and quality. This year the local variety of custard applewillbe available till the end of November depending on the arrivals to the market. Moreover, during the festive season there is tremendous demand for fruits and the custard apple is no exception, he said. The local variety arrives from Saoner and nearby places within a radius of 50 kilometers of the city. Custardapplealsoarrives fromSeoniSafara, Katol, Kuhi, Kamptee, Chhindwara and sometimes from Amravati, Nashik and other places.