Goa: High prices make lime vendors, nimbu-paani stall owners sweat

COLVA: The price of limes has risen over the last few weeks with a single normal-sized lime being sold for Rs 10 and Rs 20 for three smaller ones.
Lime vendors as well as ‘nimbu-paani’ stall owners expressed concerns over the rising price saying that consumers are unwilling to purchase the citrus fruit.
N Gadekar runs a stall selling lime water and lime soda at the Margao new market for Rs 25.“I have not increased my prices and have been selling it for a loss. The cost of one lime is Rs10, soda or water is Rs10, add the cost of disposable glass and straws to that.” He said that he sells 100 glasses of lime water daily, but in recent weeks the price of limes has skyrocketed from Rs 250 to Rs 1,000 for 100 limes.
Another vendor behind the Holy Spirit church has been selling only limes for a couple of months. He prefers separating the citrus fruits in two categories – ‘big’ and ‘small’— but the price is the same. “When we started selling a bag of limes weighing about 40 to 45kg, it was costing us Rs 1,500. In the last few weeks, however, we have been paying Rs 9,500 for the same bag,” he said.
The vendor said that during summer, when business is not as profitable, he has guaranteed business and prefers to rough it out to sustain the rough patch.
A vegetable vendor, Salim, from the Salcete coastal village of Varca, said, “We are losing Rs 2 to Rs 3 on every lime we sell, but if we don’t absorb the losses, our customers will shop elsewhere and ultimately we will lose customers. It is better to make a loss on a lime than to lose customers.”
The sour-bitter lime has also impacted the seasonal urrak drinkers in Goa.
“Lime is a vital ingredient in the popular summer drink. While a 750ml bottle of urrak costs Rs 125, the high cost of limes is taking away the charm and essence of the drink,” said an urrak enthusiast.