KOCHI: Fruit sales have picked up after the Nipah scare, the All Kerala Fruit Merchants Association (AKFMA) has said. The sale had hit an all-time low as there were rumours that the disease spread through fruits bitten by bats. The recent studies by the government and private bodies which ascertained the real reasons for the reasons for Nipah spread have helped the fruit market to recover. “The government’s effective intervention and news report substantiating the cause of Nipah have helped negate the impact of Nipah on fruit sales,” a press release issued by AKFMA stated.
According to AKGMA president P V Hamza, fruits worth Rs 2,000 crore are sold across Kerala on a daily basis. After the Nipah outbreak, the fruit sales came down by 50 per cent. The worst hit are fruit sellers in Kozhikode where there are more than 30,000 sellers and vendors. “In Kozhikode district, the sale of fruits had declined by 75 per cent. People were afraid to consume fruits as social and online media propagated that Nipah virus spreads through fruits,” he said.
The AKFMA claimed there was a dip in the sale of fruits during Ramzan. Usually, during the time, the sale of fruits double. Considering this, the wholesale dealers strike an agreement with the supplier to provide additional quantity of fruits. “This year the sale of fruits in the first two weeks of Ramzan has been affected. We hope the market will recover in the remaining days,” Hamza said.
According to AKFMA, 90 per cent of the fruit sold in Kerala come from other states and abroad. “Fruits arrive from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Apple comes from Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh,” Hamza said.