Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Feb 19: Summer is round the corner. In another 15 days or so the midday sun will not be shinning as pleasantly on the passersby as it is today. As you and I take fresh guard to negotiate the rising temperature, the roadside fruit vendors gear up to revamp their wares. Sweltering heat apart, summer is the time to pamper one’s taste buds with some mouth-watering fruits and fruit juices. Come summer you will find yourself drinking coconut water, sugarcane juice or eating watermelon sold by the roadside fruit vendors.
Fruits that are popular during the summer season are watermelon, mango, papaya, coconut etc. There is another fruit which sells well during the period is sakar kandh (sort of sweet potato), a kind of root that can be eaten raw or consumed in the form of juice. It is available in the market at Rs 30 per kg and is a good option during summers.
Santosh Kumar Sahoo, a fruit vendor said, “During summer the sale of fruits increases and it boosts our business. Our business mostly depends upon seasons and festivals. In summer people eat lots of fruits; however, of all the fruit watermelon is mostly preferred as it is an important source of water and it also helps one to fight the heat. There are some other fruits, such as papaya, which are mostly liked by the rich and the aristocrat”.
Vijay Kumar Sahoo, a coconut vendor however, rues people’s, especially the youth’s growing preference of soft drinks, which sales more during summers. But, “there are some who still loves to drink coconut water during summers. The natural water indeed cools your body,” he says. “This year the price of a coconut has increased vis-à-vis that in the last year. The price, however, varies as per the size of the coconut,” he points out. Last year coconut sold at Rs 10 / Rs12, but this year, the coconut price has shot up, with every coconut costing somewhere between Rs 15 and Rs 25. “In the coming days the price may increase, according to demand,” Sahoo says. He, however points out that coconut has a more or less steady demand throughout the year. “True, there is demand for coconut water during summers but, its demand is also high during the rainy season and the winter,” he says.
In spite of substantial increase in production of major fruit crops in the state most of the seasonal fruits available in the city markets, the vendors say, come from states like Andhra Pradesh (banana), Jammu & Kashmir (strawberry and apple), Kerela (pineapple), West Bengal (banana, mango) etc. Coconuts, however, are extensively grown in the state itself.
Lingraj Maharana, a resident of Sahid Nagar said, “Summer to me is the season of mangos and everyone loves those. I too love mango but, I mostly prefer watermelon and sakar kandh among fruits; both the fruits are best to fight the summer heat. Lassi is my favourite drink and it’s much better than cold drinks”.
Zakina, a media person, also prefers to eat more fruits during the summers. “March onwards, as temperature rise, I increase my fruit intake. I love watermelon and cucumber,” she says.
Sugarcane juice, which immediately quenches one’s thirst, is also in high demand during the summers. The approaching summer has brought smiles on the faces of sugarcane vendors. Sanatan Jena of Nuagaon, who sells sugarcane juice in Vani Vihar said, “From mid Feb to June are the months during which the sale of sugarcane juice is very high. These are the months when we do good business. I have all sorts of customers, who come to buy sugarcane juice from me. A glass of juice costs Rs 10.”
Ritika Mishra, a student said, “During summer I mostly love to eat fruits which help me fight the heat. I mostly eat watermelon, banana, and drink coconut water and sugarcane juice; these are my favourites during summer”.a
