TANZANIA: THE price of watermelon has gone down by almost 50 per cent in the last six months thanks to the ongoing rains that lowered the demand of the fruit.
The fruit price went down since the rain brought cold weather spell that cuts demand, unlike during the hot period that increases’ customers want to quench their thirsts.
Equally, the supply also went down as the fruit needs limited water to grow.
Watermelon grows poorly in wet season unlike drying one. ‘Daily News’ spot survey at Veterinary Market yesterday showed that the rains have lowered the watermelon prices from 14,000/- per large size as of last September to 6,000/- as of on Sunday.
Veterinary Market Vice Chairperson Mr Omary Mbwana said despite the drop in supply and price, their income also dwindled.
“Watermelons do not need heavy rains, and ever since the start of the El Nino rains last year, business has dropped and demand has been lowered in comparison to dry season in last September,” Mr Mbwana told ‘Daily News’.
The market currently receives 10 to 14 semi-trailer trucks of 28 to 30 tonnes per day with around 1, 500 to 1,700 watermelons in comparison to between 11 and 18 semi-trailer trucks on daily basis in the dry season.
Veterinary Market is the largest watermelon marketplaces in the country and receives most of the fruit from the Coast, Morogoro, Shinyanga, Tabora, Mwanza, Mbeya Regions and sometimes from neighbourhood Kenya.
Another watermelon trader, Mr Salehe Mkoimoto (Mzee Moto), said there are four grades of watermelons depending on their sizes, where first type goes at 7,000/- per one, the second at around 5,000/- per one third grade between 3,000/- and 2,000/- while the lowest sells at 2,000/- per one.
According to the traders, between September and May the market received supply mainly from Lake Zone, Tabora and Mbeya while in June to August comes from the Coastal Region. Mkoimoto said since the watermelons depend mostly on irrigation and that they do not have permanent seasons.
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