“I set up my stall by 7 in the morning. Most of my customers are young men and women rushing to schools and colleges, who stop to munch on the guavas. But nowadays, I cannot find them on the roads.

Guavas are one of the very few fruits that can be grown around the year. My family owns nearly ten trees in my village at Serinarasannapalem and most of our fruits come from those trees.

When I came to this part of Vijayawada in the late 90s, the traffic was less. There were a lot more trees and the city was cooler back then. Now, we have to keep drinking water to beat the heat.

People think that I have an easy job. But that’s not true. I need to ensure that the fruits are fresh and safe.

Big supermarkets selling fruits and vegetables do impact our business. Also because of the ongoing pandemic situation, there’s a lot of fear among the public to buy things outside so there aren’t many takers.

However, on a good day, I make enough to keep my family running. I have two sons and they are my pride and joy. Whatever I earn today is for them and I wish to see them in good positions in the future.”