Watermelon price hikes amid rise in temperature in Karnataka’s Hassan
After a long chilly cold weather, the summers are finally making their entry into India. Jackets will soon be replaced with half-sleeved t-shirts. Another change which usually takes place with the onset of summer is the increased demand for ice cream and cold drinks. In such a situation, the residents of Hassan City in karnataka have now resorted to watermelons, coconuts and fresh drinking water to avoid the summer heat. Due to the rising temperature in the city, Hassan residents are now turning towards healthy refreshing drinks and fruits. Tender coconut and watermelon traders in Haasan are the ones who will benefit most from this change in weather. Due to an increase in demand, the vendors and shop owners are now selling watermelon and coconut water at higher rates.At present, the watermelon market is extremely busy meeting the increased demand of buyers. The rate of watermelon fruit which was Rs 30 has now become Rs 40, as per reports. Each day, the watermelon shops in Haasan City sell 100 to 150 fruits. To increase sales, the vendors sell the pieces of watermelon to their customers as they often need a minimal quantity to feel refreshed. In the rainy season, if 50 watermelons are sold then in summer, the numbers increases to 50 times. As per reports, the traders fetch 400 to 500 loads of watermelon every two days. These vendors are estimated to earn up to Rs 8,000 to 10,000 every day by selling watermelons in Haasan.Apart from this, the demand for fresh drinking water has also increased. The traders are earning Rs 3,000 to 4,000 per day by selling drinking water at Rs 40. One of the reasons, apart from the scorching sun, for the increased sale of freshwater can be due to the present water crisis in Karnataka. Bangalore and the adjacent areas are facing water shortage problems due to dried-up borewells. According to the karnataka Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar the situation in karnataka has been the grimmest it has been in 30-40 years.