Latest news with #RussellMarket
Hans India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Sheep sales surge ahead of Bakrid
Bengaluru: As the city gears up for the celebration of Bakrid on June 7, the Chamarajpet ground in Bengaluru has once again become a bustling hub for goat and sheep sales, drawing traders and buyers from across the state. With just days left for the holy festival, the market has come alive with a wide variety of livestock, including high-demand breeds like Punjabi, Madurai, Jawari, and Ameengad sheep and goats. Prices at the market vary significantly, ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs one lakh, depending on the breed and weight of the animal. Traders are reporting brisk business, with many buyers making early purchases to secure their preferred livestock before the festival rush peaks. Local breeds continue to attract interest, but premium non-native varieties have especially gained popularity this season. The quick turnover and rising demand have brought much-needed cheer to farmers and livestock traders, many of whom have traveled from distant districts to set up temporary stalls at Chamarajpet. In addition to livestock, the festive spirit is evident across other markets in the city. Dry fruit vendors are seeing a surge in sales at traditional hotspots like Russell Market and KR Market, where shoppers are stocking up on dates, raisins, almonds, cashews, and an assortment of sweets in preparation for Bakrid feasts. Following supply disruptions caused by the recent Pahalgam attack, dry fruit imports and trade have now resumed, restoring normalcy to seasonal business operations. With both markets and morale bustling, Bengaluru is in full festive swing, ensuring a vibrant and peaceful celebration of Bakrid 2024.
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Arecanut, raisin prices increase by 30% due to heatwave, high demand in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: The sharp, nutty bite of arecanuts and the mellow sweetness of raisins might be a treat for the palate. However, the prices of both have surged by nearly 30%, leaving consumers with a bitter aftertaste. The price hike is primarily because of extreme heat hitting production, with the marriage season also driving up city gets its supply of arecanut from districts such as Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, and Davanagere. Karnataka alone cultivates nearly 7 lakh hectares, producing 11 lakh tonnes annually, making it one of the top producers of arecanut in the a trader from Banashankari, said, "Prices have gone up by Rs 10-15, with the new variety now at Rs 470 per kg, because imports were stopped and local production is down by almost 30%. Supply reduced, and demand is up — just like during the Covid period, when we saw prices rise by nearly Rs 100."Mahesh Puchhappady, president of All India Arecanut Growers' Association, said, "Due to heat and less rainfall, production dropped by 50%, especially in regions like Mangaluru, where we haven't seen such losses in at least 50 years. The heat affected fruit setting and led to its drop. Smaller fruits have taken over, and with the marriage season adding to demand, prices jumped to Rs 465 per kg for the new variety and Rs 510 for the old — compared to last year's Rs 420-430 and Rs 475-485, respectively."Four-fold rise for raisins Raisins have also become significantly more expensive. The state ranks second in grape cultivation after Maharashtra, and over 70% of its raisin growers hail from Vijayapura alone. But the price of raisins has surged fourfold, thanks to reduced supply.A trader from Rajajinagar said, "Prices have touched Rs 495 per kg because the availability in the market is low. Besides, the marriage season pushed up demand." Himanshu Shah, a trader from KR Market, said, "Raisin prices have gone up because of a sharp drop in crop yield — nearly 50% less this year — especially in regions like Nasik, Sangli, and Tasgaon, driving the prices up."Mohammed Idrees Choudhury, a raisin trader from Russell Market, said, "Two months ago, raisins were selling at Rs 280 per kg wholesale. Today, it's around Rs 400, and the long variety has touched Rs 480. The demand is strong, but supply drastically fell."Other dry fruits have not spared consumers' pockets either, with cashews, dates and almonds becoming costly over the past two months. Himanshu Shah added, "Dry fruits like cashew have gone up in prices because of import issues. Most cashews are sourced locally and from countries like Benin in Africa. Dates come from Dubai, and almonds have seen a small rise because of low rainfall in California. The price per kilo has gone up by 20% for all dry fruits."
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Pahalgam fallout: Dry fruit prices spike after supply from Kashmir dries out
transportation of dry fruits The prices of dry fruits have surged sharply in Bengaluru, with rates rising between ₹200 and ₹700 per kg within a week. The increase follows a recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which has disrupted thefrom the said the supply from Kashmir to Bengaluru's key wholesale hubs, including Shivajinagar's Russell Market, has almost come to a standstill. Traders report a shortage of items like saffron, apricots, walnuts, walnut oil, Mamra almonds, honey, and dried plums most of which are sourced from the add to the strain, Afghanistan's dry fig (anjur) season is currently at its peak, but about 300 trucks carrying the produce are reportedly stuck at the Attari border, limiting supplyfurther. A trader said saffron, widely used by pregnant women and in star hotels, has seen a significant surge in demand. Kashmiri garlic, preferred by heart patients, has also become more expensive. 'Saffron prices have jumped from ₹90,000 to ₹1.4 lakh per kg in a month. Kashmiri garlic now sells at ₹2,500 per kg, up from ₹1,800,' he have gone up from ₹500 to ₹800 per kg, Afghan anjur from ₹1,200 to ₹1,800, and Mamra almonds from ₹1,200 to ₹1,800. Even gulqand, earlier priced at ₹200–₹300 for 600–700 grams, now costs around ₹ fruits are typically transported from Kashmir to Jammu, then to Delhi, and finally to cities like Bengaluru. But with loading halted in Kashmir, only small consignments are arriving via costlier routes. Traders warned that continued disruptions could lead to further price hikes.
Scroll.in
26-04-2025
- Business
- Scroll.in
Ornamental fish trade is introducing invasive species into local ecology
Aquarium trade is a multibillion-dollar business with the value of trade in ornamental fishes alone estimated at $6 billion in 2023. Japan, Indonesia and Singapore export the maximum quantity of ornamental aquarium fish, while India ranks 19th among the world's ornamental fish exporting nations. There are indications that ornamental fish-keeping may have originated in China with the domestication of common carps and goldfish more than 1000 years ago. Compact home aquariums as we know today however became popular only during the 19th century. The British were among the earliest European fish-hobbyists. They started to collect and transport tropical freshwater fishes from the Commonwealth to their temperate homes, which was likely the precursor to today's global multibillion-dollar enterprise of tropical fish-keeping. Early fish-hobbyists chose only the small and medium-sized species of tropical freshwater fishes for their aquariums. These were predominantly from south and southeast Asian countries and the tropical American waters. Some of the favorites were barbs, rasboras, danios and tetras. A few species of cichlids, including the still very popular angelfish, were also domesticated and selectively bred. Air-breathers of south and southeast Asian origin like paradise fish, betta (Siamese fighter) and gourami and tropical American live-bearers such as the guppy, platy, swordtail and mollies also joined the bandwagon. Two species of Indian freshwater fishes that were widely domesticated and traded are the zebra danio and dwarf gourami. These two species are relatively small in size and are found in the wild throughout the country. Although at present many other Indian freshwater species (especially those from the Western Ghats and Northeast India) have found a place among the ornamental tropical fishes in worldwide trade, zebra danio and dwarf gourami have excelled in their popularity that we find several domesticated variants in the market today. Interest in large freshwater fish Goldfish and koi carps are somewhat large-sized freshwater fishes. The latter can grow to around two feet in length and has greater longevity. And as koi carps are not only brilliantly colored but also well adapted to cold water, they are popular in outdoor ponds throughout the world. There has also been growing interest over the past 40 years in keeping large-sized cichlids, catfishes and other fish. Home aquariums first started keeping large-sized cichlids popularly called 'oscars'. Then came in catfishes such as 'freshwater sharks' and 'plecos'. Around the same time red-bellied piranhas were also in the aquarium trade. Looking back, during the 1980s, a pair of palm-sized red-bellied piranhas were sold for Rs 4,000 in the famous Russell Market in Bengaluru. The most noteworthy trade in large-sized freshwater fishes however began when feng shui, an ancient Chinese practice of arranging spaces to create harmony and balance with the natural environment, became popular. Feng shui brought with it many kinds of indoor plants and some fishes that supposedly brought good luck and fortunes to their keepers. Popular feng shui fishes were an American cichlid called 'flowerhorn' and another very large but unrelated fish from the same region called 'arawana'. These two species were heavily traded and people were ready to pay huge sums of money to possess one. A standard flowerhorn fetched up to Rs 3,50,000. Back in the wild Fancy for large-sized fishes like the flowerhorn and arawana was short-lived as they neither brought the coveted fortunes nor were they compatible with home aquariums. They either outgrew their containers or, being predators, they proved too cumbersome to maintain due to their demands of live fish as food. It did not take long before owners found it more 'prudent' to release them in natural water bodies, such as wetlands and rivers, in the vicinity. Unfortunately, however, such irresponsible actions put these large predatory fishes 'back in the wild' albeit in regions far beyond their native waters, transcending continental boundaries. Aquarium fishes thus introduced locally soon naturalised in their new habitats where some have already become invasive. Among the most invasive species of aquarium fishes are the tropical American sailfin catfishes. These armored catfishes are also popularly called 'plecos' and 'suckers' in trade. They were first traded as 'tank cleaners' because they are obligate grazers and aquarists found them handy in keeping their tanks free of alga. Nevertheless, due to their large size and sometimes aggressive behaviour, they were sent back to the wild. Plecos proved to be invasive even in the United States, not very far from their native neotropical habitats. Plecos are invasive in other parts of the world too. In many parts of India, such as Kerala, fishers are frustrated by catches that are heavily loaded with these armoured catfishes that even damage their valuable nets. Shores strewn with discarded plecos are not an uncommon sight in south India. Range extends through trade Earlier, it was easier to transport live freshwater fish than marine species. Freshwater fishes were therefore largely involved in early trade as that began during the colonial era. Currently, 80% of all ornamental fish exports, worldwide, is of freshwater species. Larger species of freshwater fishes were transported and introduced outside their geographical range primarily to enhance commercial fish production. While some like trout were also introduced to promote the elite sport of angling, most others such as the Mozambique tilapia were brought in under the guise of food security. Notably, the latter is now placed among the world's most invasive species of fishes. Another of the colonial era's botched fish introductions involved mosquito fishes. These small tropical American live-bearers, also called Gambusia, were carried far and wide and introduced locally in an attempt to eradicate the dreaded malaria. These surface-swimming fishes were believed to feed on the aquatic larvae of mosquitoes. Despite their small size, due to their very adaptive nature and capacity to rapidly multiply, mosquito fishes have proven to be highly invasive wherever they were introduced. The most important pathway by which freshwater fishes have extended their geographical range across continents is however ornamental fish trade. The number of species in trade is also increasing in leaps and bounds. And, apart from owners wantonly releasing exotic fishes into local water bodies, there are accidental introductions as that happen during floods. The crisis is further aggravated by development projects such as those that concern interlinking of rivers. Local invasions Species that are popular in the ornamental fish trade are very adaptive by nature. This virtue helps them easily adapt to newer habitats wherever they are introduced. Most introduced species have shown the ability to quickly naturalise and some like the plecos have already become invasive. During colonial rule, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai were the three most important hubs of ornamental fish trade in south Asia. The three cities continue to monopolise local and international trade in ornamental fishes. Ornamental fish trading hubs have also had a major influence on the local freshwater fish diversity in countries including India. In Chennai for instance, 30% of its freshwater fish species are not native. Majority of the introduced fishes have come in through aquarium trade catalysed by local and regional transfers of drinking water through canals. All naturalised fish species have the potential of becoming invasive under favorable conditions. Once they become invasive, introduced fishes pose threats to native freshwater biodiversity. Even rare and endemic species cannot be given the benefit of doubt in this regard. Unregulated trade, conservation challenges Unregulated ornamental fish trade poses major challenges to the worldwide efforts in conservation of freshwater biodiversity. In the Western Ghats, for instance, many species of endemic fishes have entered the fray in more recent times and, some like 'Miss Kerala' (Dennison's barb) are under immense pressure. The desire to add novelty to their fish exhibits is driving hobbyists to travel far and wide, collecting rare, endemic and even threatened species of freshwater fishes. Species that have not been scientifically described and named are already there in private aquariums and even in international trade. The Rohan's barb, for instance, was known to hobbyists for more than sixty years. It was however known to science only in 2010. It is therefore important that globally binding conventions such as Ramsar, CITES and CBD together developed guidelines and protocols for regulating international trade in ornamental freshwater fishes. Regions such as south and southeast Asia, where trade in ornamental fish is poorly regulated, should be designated as hotspots. In the absence of adequate regulations, and greater awareness of the dangers of fish invasions, conservation of freshwater biodiversity will remain an unsurmountable challenge.
