Residents of the north-eastern city of Patna can now relish exotic fruits at home; the most popular ones include kiwis, pears and avocados, which are available at fruit markets near the roundabout and Patna zoo.
"Although the demand for exotic fruits keeps fluctuating, I sell a fair amount every day. Customers usually buy kiwis and pears from New Zealand and red grapes from Australia, which are priced at Rs 400 per kg [€5.08]," said Md Syed, who owns a fruit shop near the IT roundabout.
Besides, apples from the USA, New Zealand and China are also available for Rs 200 to Rs 250 per kg (€2.54-3.18). "The most expensive fruit, however, is the avocado, which is usually priced at Rs 600 per kg. Tamarind from Thailand and Australian oranges are also liked by many," said Saurabh Kumar, who has been selling fruits for the last 20 years near the Income Tax roundabout.
Asked why he preferred exotic fruits to the local ones. a regular customer at the IT roundabout fruit market, said: "There are not many options to choose from while buying local fruits. However, some consumers still buy local fruits because they are not sure whether chemicals were used to keep the exotic fruit fresh."
