Lemon Prices Soar to Rs 16,000 per 80-kg Bag, but Farmers Have Little To Sell

Nellore

The price of an 80-kg bag of lemons has touched Rs 16,000 at the Podalakur market in Nellore district on Tuesday. But the sharp rise has brought little cheer to farmers, as most orchards currently have little fruit.

Farmers say the price is unprecedented for August-September. In the past, the rates during these months had been Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 a bag in the past. Just two weeks ago, the market rate grew to Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000.

The increase has been driven by strong demand and a significant fall in lemon arrivals. Some growers are reportedly selling whatever crop is available, including immature fruits.

Podalakur Lemon Merchants Association secretary Atla Prabhakar Reddy attributed the surge to reduced fruiting, deficient rainfall, and increased demand during festivals. He said prices could rise further ahead of Vinayaka Chavithi and Dasara, if supplies remain restricted.

The price trend highlights the production cycle of acid lime in Nellore. The crop is cultivated across more than 16,000 hectares in the district, with the yield being 2.43 lakh tonnes annually, according to the Horticulture department.

Major growing areas include Podalakur, Saidapuram, Rapur, Kaluvoya, Chejerla, A.S. Peta and Kaligiri, besides parts of Atmakur and other upland mandals.

Horticulture assistant director M.V. Subba Reddy said the district's peak lemon marketing season is from January 15 to May-end, while demand remains moderate from June to September.

Nearly 80 per cent of the district's harvested lemons are sent to north Indian markets, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Punjab.

The timing of flowering has long been a challenge for growers. Major flowering normally occurs during June-July, resulting in substantial fruiting during December-January. This coincides with relatively low consumption in northern markets. There is also a glut of arrivals of lime from other states, often depressing the prices.