Watermelons procured from Odisha and Chhattisgarh on sale at Daily Market in Ranchi on Tuesday. Picture by Hardeep Singh

If summer is here, well almost, can watermelons be far behind? But it is indeed far behind in Jharkhand where locally grown fruits are yet to hit the markets, prompting vendors to meet the ever-rising demand with supply from other states.

According to retailers and fruit-sellers, watermelons — a favourite in the summer months — have already picked up demand in Ranchi but it will be available locally only in the months of June and July, as the plants are still in premature stage. But not wanting to incur losses, the vendors have started procuring the sweet, juicy fruit from neighbouring states like Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

“We have started selling watermelons a week ago after truckloads of fruits came from Odisha and Raipur in Chhattisgarh,” said Mahmud Alam, a retailer at Daily Market, adding that watermelons grown in the state take almost two months to arrive in the market after summer sets in.

Around four to five trucks of watermelons arrive at Harmu Bypass wholesale market from Odisha and Chhattisgarh daily on an average. Retailers and local fruit vendors purchase the fruit from the wholesale market.

Another retailer Izaj Ahmed said although the supply from Raipur was limited, Odisha, which is witnessing bumper production, is meeting the maximum demand. “On an average, we are selling watermelons worth Rs 1,500-Rs 2,000 a day. The business will pick up with further rise in mercury in the coming days,” he added.

In Jharkhand, this seasonal fruit is mainly grown in the moist belts of Sahebganj and Pakur while local farmers also take up cultivation on their own in areas like Bedo and Khunti, but not in abundance. However, the residents prefer the seedless variety that is mainly brought from Odisha with a price tag of Rs 12 per kg.

“The quality of the Odisha fruits is better. They have less number of seeds as compared to the locally grown watermelons and are sweeter,” said a government employee Mahesh Kumar, who was spotted buying the fruit at Daily Market.

Citing reasons for the low production in Jharkhand, Prabhakar Singh, the state director of National Horticulture Mission, said: “Watermelons grow in sandy soil with high water current. But in this state, most areas are dry and barren and hence, only select places like moist belt of Pakur and Sahebganj can produce the fruit.”

However, he could not give the total production in Jharkhand.