India, April 29 -- Prices of watermelon have sharply declined in Navi Mumbai following the suspected food poisoning deaths of four members of a family, triggering panic among consumers and a steep drop in demand.

At the APMC Market Navi Mumbai, one of Asia's largest wholesale fruit markets, watermelon prices have fallen to as low as Rs.5-Rs.7 per kilogram. Traders say this is significantly below the usual wholesale range of Rs.10-Rs.35 per kilogram, while retail prices typically hover between Rs.30 and Rs.100 per kilogram.

The drop in demand comes after a tragic incident last week in which four members of a Mumbai-based family died within hours of consuming watermelon at home. The victims reportedly experienced severe vomiting and diarr...