KARACHI: With the mercury level which has started lowering in Karachi, prices of dry fruits have begun rising in the city’s wholesale and retail markets. From roasted cashews to salted nuts, people are busy purchasing various dry fry fruits to satisfy their taste buds. In the wholesale market, some of the dry fruits are in very high demand such as pistachio (with and without shell), walnuts (without shell), cashew nuts (plain and roasted), pine nuts (with and without shell), almond (with shell), walnuts (with shell) and ajwa dates. According to the wholesaler dealers, the demand for these dry fruits will further rise in coming days. “There is a sharp increase in the sale of pine nuts, cashew nuts, almonds and pistachios, but as we are expecting more rains in the city in coming days, naturally the sale will jump up,” said Sajid Muhammad Yousuf, a wholesaler in Karachi’s Kharader area. However, Sajid believes that the increase in prices of the dry fruits has made them out of the less privilege’s reach. For example, pine nuts are being sold between Rs3,600 and 4,000 per kg in the wholesale market. How can a poor man afford this price? Almonds are being sold at Rs1000-Rs1200 per kg in the local wholesale market. Similarly, the price of pistachio has risen to Rs1,000 per kg. The recent tension between Pakistan and India has also affected the local dry fruit market. Sajid attributes increase in price of cashew nuts to the latest situation on the border. “Price of cashew nuts imported from India has gone up to Rs1500-Rs1600. which a few months ago was available in the local market for Rs1200. Some locals like Uzma Hayat Qazi, a resident of Karsaz, said that prices are quite affordable since dry fruits are valued commodity. “I am fond of walnuts and cashew nuts whose prices are more or less the same,” said Uzma. Now the dry fruits are also being sold online. The online prices of dry fruits are; pistachio (without shell) Rs 2,999, walnuts (without shell) Rs 2,149, cashew nuts (plain) Rs 2,100, cashew nuts (roasted) Rs 2,299, pine nuts (with shell) Rs 2,799, pine nuts (without shell) Rs 3,799, pistachio (with shell) Rs 2,100, Almond (with shell) Rs 999, walnuts (with shell) Rs 1,699 and ajwa dates at Rs 2,999.