Lemon prices further shoot up, consumers see red

Visakhapatnam: Lemon prices in retail markets across Andhra Pradesh have doubled with the early onset of summer, squeezing household budgets. In several markets, the cost per piece shot up within days.On Thursday, a mid-sized lemon sold for ₹8 in Vizag, while larger ones were priced at ₹10 each. Customers voiced frustration as inflation hit even the humble lemon.Lemons, which fetched around Rs60 to Rs70 per kg in the first week of February, sold at Rs130 per kg in the first week of March and are now being sold at Rs160 to Rs200 per kg depending on the size and quality in the retail markets. This is an almost 50 per cent increase in a span of just a few weeks, said M Bangaramma, a trader in Vizag city. The demand for the lemons has been increasing for the past two weeks due to rising temperatures, she addedDemand for lemon, a friendly fruit and a rich source of vitamin- C, shot up much before the peak summer as the fruit served as a great source as summer coolant. Lemon juice or water was also preferred by most households during the summer. Parts of the Guntur and Godavari regions in the state were the main suppliers of lemons in the state. We consume at least six to eight lemons per day at our home either for lemon juice or for salads. However, we had cut down on our purchase to half due to an exorbitant price. We never thought that the humble lemon too would start to go out of common man's reach, said D Sudhakar, a resident of Vizag city. According to retail vegetable vendors, supply shortage due to erratic weather and increasing demand for fruit are leading to the rise in lemon prices. The prices will further go up in the coming weeks, they added.