It's melons everywhere, vendors reap profits

Sugar Queen is sweeter than Namdhari, but Mysoreans continue to prefer the latter

 Summer's here and 'Sweet Queen' and 'Namdhari' have emerged as the reigning delicacies. The two varieties of watermelons are in so much demand that vendors have converted almost all footpaths in major areas in the City and on the highways, into business zones.

In addition, pushcarts and stalls too have mushroomed in front of schools, colleges, offices and busy streets.

The sales which would generally pick up during the month of March every year, has seen a good beginning from February itself this year. Merchants anticipate for the sales to pick pace in the days to come. 

Tradition

Sweet Queen comes from Gundlupet of Mysore district, while Namdhari is native to most parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh. Presently, Namdhari is being imported from Andra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, as the supply in Karnataka for the same has stopped. Sugar Queen, with fewer seeds is sweeter than the Namdhari variety. But old habits die hard among Mysoreans.

They continue to prefer the latter.Syed Shoib, a vendor near CFTRI in V V Mohalla, who gets a supply of five tonnes of melons of both varieties every fortnight, is not only guarenteed a good business everyday, he also makes a profit of anywhere between Rs 350 and Rs 1,000 per day. He makes an earning of Rs 2,500 per day by selling the fruits at Rs 13 to Rs 15 per kilo.

The vendor said that the sales picked up by the end of February itself this year. And thanks to the peaking demand, the prices of the fruit has also titled.

Like Shoib, Revanna, a wholesale dealer, who sells Sugar Queen watermelons too is reaping profits, as he sells all of the six tonnes he gets from the farmers everyday.

Y S Nagaraj, Market supervisor, Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC), says that as many as six loads (72 tonnes) of watermelons, from Nagamangla, Maddur and K R Pet arrive in the City daily. The demand would remain high till May, he said.