Rising demand, tight supply push lemon prices up in AP

Visakhapatnam: The price of lemons has skyrocketed, with a kg of medium-sized lemons sold at Rs200 in the retail markets. Traders attribute the price increase to summer, and availability tightens during the peak summer demand.A few weeks ago, the lemons were priced at Rs160 a kg in retail markets. However, due to a combination of rising consumption and reduced supply, consumers are paying more for the citrus fruit.The traders say demand for lemons has risen by around 100% as consumers increasingly prefer lemon-based drinks to cope with rising temperatures. At the same time, supply constraints have added pressure on prices.The hot and humid weather boosted sales of lemon-based drinks, as juice stalls and roadside vendors reported a steady flow of customers, despite high prices.With lemon prices on the rise and a shortage of supply, the juice sellers have increased the lemon-based prices by Rs 5 per glass, said V Ganesh, a resident of MVP Colony in Vizag city. The traders sold three lemons at Rs 20. We never thought that the humble lemon too would start to go out of the common man's reach, he added.The demand for lemons, a cheerful fruit and a rich source of vitamin C, has surged and is expected to continue rising in future as summer approaches. The price of the lemon may increase to Rs230 a kg, said the traders. Parts of the Guntur and Godavari regions in the state were the main suppliers of lemons in the state, they added.