Rampur/Shimla, Nov 20 (PTI) While the four-day-long International Lavi fair, which is already concluded officially, trading is still taking place in various articles, including dry fruits.

Dry fruits from the tribal Kinnaur district are in great demand and fetch handsome returns.

The production of dry fruits like chilgoza (pine nuts), apricot, almond, Chuli (apricot oil), walnut and Rajma (beans) has been less this year, and as a consequence, prices have skyrocketed in the Kinnauri market, set up every year during the mela.

International Lavi fair was officially concluded on November 14.

Chilgoza has broken all records and is being sold at Rs 2,400 per Kg, while the rate of almonds ranged between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,400 per Kg, Walnut Rs 400-500 per Kg, Apricot Rs 300-400 per Kg, Rajma Rs 400 per kg and Chuli Rs 1,200 to 1,500 per litre.

The high-quality dry fruits of Kinnaur are organic and a major attraction at the fair.

'I have been selling dry fruits and other produce of Kinnaur at Lavi fair for the past twenty years and hope that sales will pick up in spite of high prices,' said Sanjeev Negi from Khaab village.

Balbir Singh from Shalkhar village said that he was selling traditional produce like Rattan Jot, Jangli Dhoop, dried apple in golden packs of Rs 2,100 and Rs 1,500, and sales were reasonably good.

Suresh Kumar from Powari village said that besides high prices of Chilgoza and other dry fruits, Guchchhi mushroom was selling at Rs 15,000 per kg as it is very nutritious and in great demand in foreign countries. PTI CORR BPL BAL BAL