The skyrocketing lemon prices have directly affected one of the favourite drinks in summer. The lemon price touched Rs 20 per piece in Pune and is between Rs 10 to Rs 15 in most retail markets.
The Humble nimbu pani drink has turned into luxury this summer. Many reasons are attributed to ballooning the lemon price in the market such as increased demand, less harvest, damage to the crops, hike in fuel prices etc.
In an interview with TOI, a senior official from the state agriculture department said, ¡°The unconducive atmosphere and extremely hot conditions for a prolonged period have impacted the harvest of lemons this year. As a result, the farmers are not getting the usual harvest this year. It has impacted the market supply and thus prices have gone up.¡±?
Last year the monsoon was good but the months of September and October had brought heavy rainfalls, affecting the lemon farming. The failure of the Hasta bahar and Ambe bahar resulted in a lower harvest.
Lemon orchards could not bear heavy rainfall because they are sensitive to excess moisture. In the initial phase of Ambe Bahar, a drop in yield was reported and high temperatures caused the fall of younger fruits in February.
Lemon is generally stored in cold storage. This fruit is normally kept in cold storage and marketed till Ambe bahar arrives. Currently, the stored fruits are feeding the market.
India produces about 17% of the world¡¯s lemons. The country produces over 37.17 lakh tonnes of fruit every year. It is grown in orchards spanning a combined 3.17 lakh acres across the country. Lemon trees give fruits thrice a year.?
According to Down To Earth, Andhra Pradesh tops the list of highest lemon growing states followed by Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. Interestingly, India consumes lemon domestically and is neither exported nor imported.
They are broadly divided into two categories, lemon and lime.
A warm, moderately dry and moist climate is favourable for lemon harvesting. Heavy rainfall negatively impacts fruit growth.?
Generally, about 210-250 lemon trees are planted on an acre of land, and orchards yield their first fruit after 3 years of planting. On average, around 1,000-1,500 fruits can be yielded by a single tree.
Rich in Vitamin C and electrolytes, Lemon is considered as the most beneficial fruit in the summer. Every year, lemon is grown in three cycles or bahars. The three bahars are Ambe, Mrig and Hasta.?
The Ambe bahar includes January-February month when flowering starts and fruit formation happens in April. The Mrig bahar involves the blooming of orchards during June-July and harvesting in October. During the Hasta bahar, orchards bloom in September-October, with harvest happening post-March. However, these three cycles overlap as well.
Despite the fall in demand for lemon by around 35%, the retail and wholesale hiked prices remain the same. It continues to cost between Rs 360 and Rs 400 a kg in retail in western parts of the city, while prices are between Rs 120 and Rs 200 a kg in the wholesale market.
Farmers and traders considered this as one of the rarest years when two consecutive bahars have failed. Presently, Ambe Bahar is cycling the market but may not be sufficient to meet the demand. The Ambe bahar contributes the most to the feed market. The correction in price will not happen immediately as predicted.
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