Loz Prices Hit BD10 as Supplies Run Short
Loz prices have hit BD10 a kilo for some varieties as short supplies, searing heat and strong demand push up the cost of one of Bahrain’s best-known summer fruits.
Shoppers have been surprised by the rise, with some Bahraini types, including the ‘jumbo’ variety, selling for as much as BD10 a kilo. Prices vary by type and quality, sellers said.
The increase comes as the habban season ends and Alexandrian loz begins to reach the market, leaving a gap of about 10 to 12 days when far less fruit is available.
Red and yellow Alexandrian loz is now coming into sale and its season is expected to run until mid-October.
One farmer said the shortage was the main reason for the higher prices, though demand from juice shops and ice-cream makers was also taking large amounts off the market. Buyers from outside Bahrain add to the pull.
The weather has hit growers too.
High temperatures and harsh sunlight can burn fruit on the trees, leaving part of the crop unfit for sale. Abu Ali, a loz seller, said the heat also makes the work harder for farmers, many of whom begin picking from the early hours of the morning.
Bahraini loz still draws the strongest demand, sellers said, because of its taste and quality. Some traders have even dubbed it the ‘trend of the season’ as interest in the fruit grows during its short run.
Visitors are among the buyers, with some taking home large quantities while it is available.
Licensed growers and traders, however, say they face added pressure from street sellers working without commercial registrations.
Some bring in loz from abroad and sell it from stalls near authorised outlets, farmers said, while registered businesses must bear rent, registration and other running costs.
For growers, the rise in price is therefore about far more than demand alone. Less fruit, heat damage, heavy buying and higher costs are all feeding into what shoppers now pay at the stall.
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