MADURAI: Along with the rise in mercury levels, the demand for tender coconuts and ice apples has also gone up. While traders are a happy lot, customers are feeling the heat as the prices of these edibles have also increased.
Madurai’s scorching heat has been giving a hard time for locals, and people are drawn towards refreshing fruits and vegetables to keep themselves cool. As a result, tender coconuts and ice apples, locally known as nongu, have been selling like hot cakes, with smaller shops cropping up to cater to the high demand.
Ice apple vendors are a common sight in the city’s streets, wielding a machete and cutting open the palm fruit to serve customers.
"Seasonal fruits like ice apples, which are only available during summers, and tender coconuts are among the best options to beat the heat. As nongu is a seasonal fruit, the prices are constantly high each season. However, the price of tender coconuts, which were being sold at Rs 20 - 30 a few weeks ago, has nearly doubled now. Yet, despite the high prices, there has been no let up in demand," said K Kalirasan, a resident, after he purchased some ice apples.
Murugan, a tender coconut vendor stated that they have to purchase stock from elsewhere as local cultivators prefer to sell coconuts rather than tender coconuts as the prices for the latter vary based on the demand and transportation costs. As of Wednesday, tender coconuts were being sold at Rs 50 - 80 a piece based on the size.
Another ice apple trader, Murugan, added that it is quite rare to see palm trees within the city limits, and only a few are seen on the outskirts. Vendors procure them from neighbouring districts such as Sivaganga or Ramanathapuram, where palm trees are widely prevalent. Based on its size, vendors sell three to four palm fruits (each containing two to three ice apples) for Rs 50 rupees.