Bhubaneswar, May 11: The only saving grace in a scorcher of a summer is the wide variety of fruits that floods the markets. This time it has been no different with residents of Bhubaneswar being spoilt for choice.

A wide range of delicious and replenishing fruits are selling like hot cakes in the heat of the summer and most fruit sellers are making a brisk business.

The variety

Like every year, the king of seasonal fruits, mango, stays the clear winner.

From innumerable mango trees that one can spot along the streets of the city to the various varieties available with the vendors, mangoes, as always, are a huge hit both in raw and ripe forms.

Banganapally, amrapali, langra as well as alphonso varieties are readily available in plenty.

Litchis came a week late this year. They usually hit the market a fortnight before the Savitri Amavasya festival, which will be observed in the weekend. This mouth-watering fruit often comes from Bihar and are a tad expensive. Yet there are many people who wait for the arrival of litchis and this juicy fruit has a great following in the city.

"Litchis are definitely exorbitant. A kilogram of litchis contains around 20 pieces. The sad part is that skin and leaves of the fruit also get weighed while buying the fruits. Since it comes only for a few weeks once a year, most people make it a point to relish litchis during the summer months," said Pratima Swain, a homemaker.

Among the most affordable seasonal fruits are watermelon, ice apple and water apples. Watermelons hit the city before any other summer fruit and will remain sought after for the next couple of months. Ice apples or taal and water apples or jamrul are also offered by the fruit sellers at almost every major areas of the city.

While some fruits are easy on the pockets, some are almost out of reach. With Savitri and Raja round the corner, the prices are bound to skyrocket.

"We spend a lot to get litchis from Bihar. We also need to keep them fresh. So, for a decent profit, we need to sell them at a much higher price. With festivities coming up, buyers are usually willing to pay and not bargain much," said Bhabani, a fruit seller on the Janpath Road.

Pocket pinch

For mangoes the approximate price range this summer has been Rs 20 per kilogram for the local variety. Those coming in from outside costs as much as Rs 600 per kilogram.

Many varieties are available at a price range between Rs 40 and Rs 200 per kilogram.

Litchis, the fruit with an irresistible flavour, are priced between Rs 80 and Rs 120, and much of it depends on the buyer's bargaining skills.

Watermelon, however, is priced at Rs 16 to Rs 20 per kilogram; while ice apples and water apples are being sold at Rs 10 per packet.

Benefits

Eating litchis helps to avoid sunburns. "The vitamin rich fruit not only offers a great flavour and taste, but also acts like a sunscreen by letting the skin breathe freely and resist tan even under the blazing summer sun. Litchi juice could also be a healthy drink choice," said Kishan Agarwal, a Cuttack-based dermatologist.

Watermelons have 95 per cent water content and are great to keep the skin hydrated. It also helps in removing toxins from the body. Mangoes offer Vitamin A and C and helps in rejuvenating the skin. Jamrul too is full of Vitamin C. Overall, all the summer fruits are full of minerals and vitamins and they do a great job of replenishing during the long summer.