In the middle of its season, this fleshy, nutritious fruit is being sold at a high price, compared to last year's.

"We sold it for Tk 20-30 a kilogram at this time last year. We cannot say why the price has doubled," said Abdul Ali who sells guava at Karwan Bazar kitchen market.

"Prices of everything have gone up, so why not guava," Ali quipped.

Some traders at Karwan Bazar attributed the price hike to increased transport cost due to rise in fuel price.

Ali said, guava is aplenty as rainy season is the peak season of the fruit. It comes from different areas of the country. It is cultivated in huge orchards in Swarupkathi, Kanchan Nagar and Kazi in Barisal.

Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) sources said, in Barisal, Jhalakathi and Pirojpur at least 24,000 tones of guava were produced on 3,000 hectares during the current season.

Guava worth crores of taka is also commercially produced in Patiya and Chandnaish of Chittagong and other places, they said.

"Local varieties are more pricey as two pairs of medium-size guava sell at Tk 32-40 (weighing around 500 gm)", Ali said.

But the kazi variety is relatively less expensive for the same quantity sells at Tk 25-30, according to market prices.

"In that case it costs around Tk 60 a kg when apple is available at Tk 90," Ali said.

"Local varieties were sold even at Tk 100-120 a kg on the plea of off-season about two months ago," said another seller.

"It is really very unusual. Guava grows round the year. It was never so pricey," said Rashed Ahmed, who was buying fruits at Karwan Bazar.

"Fruits including guava are at least 20-30pc more expensive at Hatir Pool market," said an enraged Ahmed.

The price of guava may not come down this season because of the on-going flood. Supply from the orchards is being hindered due to rain or snapped road communication, market sources said.

According to nutritionists' guava is a good source of vitamins and minerals so in the last few years people from upper class also started to eat guava. It is also used to make jam and jelly.

Guava was brought to the Indian Subcontinent probably by Portuguese traders. However, the origin of the fruit is debatable.