"SLC26-W2 | Street Business Diaries: Street Fruit, vegetable and fish sales."

You can definitely see in the photographs different types of fruit vendors selling fruits on this side of the road. I spoke to a fruit vendor who is familiar to me. I tried to know their stories. The place where I am currently talking to the fruit vendor is the very main point of the Bamundi Bazar bus stand. Next to the main road. Different people buy fruits from them while traveling and here I got to see different types of local and foreign fruits which are imported from different countries and also produced in our own country. I share the description of the fruits with you below.

Fruit Name	Photography	Price
Green grapes		1 kg 400 taka(23.50 steem)
Orange		1 kg 250-280 taka (15 steem)
Apple		1 kg 250-280 taka (15 steem)
Dragon fruit		1 kg 150-200 taka (8.80 steem)
Pomegranate		1 kg 450-500 taka (23.50 steem)

^{The price of fruits may vary from place to place.}

Especially most of the fruits available in Bangladesh are imported from different countries. Apples and grapes come from our neighboring country India, but these are produced seasonally, so they come from not only India but also from different countries. However, currently, due to some domestic technologies and innovations, we can produce foreign fruits in the country such as Malta and dragon fruit. These are often seen in the market. Apart from this, there are some seasonal fruits in our country which are produced in our country such as watermelon, mango, pineapple, litchi,papaya etc. Since these are seasonal, they are not always available in the market. Since they come to Bangladesh through imports, as far as the sellers know about the fruits, formalin is not used to preserve these fruits. They are healthy and rich in various vitamins.

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Question 3 : What kind of special methods or offers do sellers use to attract customers?

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^{The shops are located right next to the main road..}

Since they have been selling fruits here for a long time, it has become a big publicity for the people. People know that fruits are always sold here. Moreover, these shops are built right on the side of the road, people walking along the road can easily buy the fruits they need from such shops, so the traders do not have to do much to attract customers, but of course, the fruits are arranged in front of the eyes so that the customers are attracted to them. Besides, this is a well-known place; those who sell fruits here have been working here for the past few years, they do not have to pay any rent for this place, and do not have any expenses.

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Question 4: How important do you think the role of these businesses is in health and nutrition

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I think such a role of the street fruit businesses that contributes amazingly to health and nutrition, especially in developing areas and the urban areas. Such sellers are frequently willing to supply widely accessible and affordable sources of fresh foods, which is significant to residents who have little access to supermarkets or strive to meet economic restrictions. Access to a wide range of fruits provides dietary diversity, which is rich in vital nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber . which are generally abandoned in the diets that rely exclusively on processed food. Street fruits form a major or even the only source of fresh produce in many individuals, thus directly affecting their micronutrient nutrition and the risk of micronutrient deficiencies, as well as general well-being. Moreover, these businesses tend to provide convenience, which further contributes to consuming healthy snacks spontaneously and in an amount, which can replace another less qualified option.

The impact of street fruit businesses is very complex in terms of nutritional health. Fruits are inherently endowed with numerous types of vitamins, such as Vitamin C that is necessary to boost the immune system and keep young skin healthy and various B vitamins that form a crucial part of the energy production process in the human body . They also supply considerable levels of dietary fiber. which facilitates digestion, blood sugar level regulation, and satiety, which may help with weight control. Fruits also contain good minerals like potassium. which is essential in the regulation of blood pressure and magnesium the latter plays important roles in various processes in the body. The various fruits that street vends usually provide such as bananas and oranges, mangoes and papayas, etc. provide a wide diversity of these essential nutrients. This increased accessibility is especially significant to low-earning households who may not be able to afford or even access fresh produce through other, more traditional retailers.

Conclusion

Overall, all these fruit sellers help us meet our daily needs. They work hard day after day. They come to their shops at six in the morning and clean the place and arrange all the fruits. They eat lunch here and sit in the shop. There are many sellers who shop in shifts or sell fruits. These shops are open for more than ten at night. They work a lot which cannot be expressed in words. Fruits are purchased from importers from different countries and the price of fruits increases further when they reach them through transportation. Many times it is seen that when the fruits are brought in different vehicles, they do not arrive on time and sometimes the fruits get spoiled and they face losses. All these people help a lot in the demand and supply of fruits in our area, which I understood while writing the post. A Big Heart for the fruit sellers.