Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Even as the scorching weather conditions are yet to set in, the price of lemon has already burnt a hole in the consumer’s pocket.
“Every summer, the price of lemon goes up as the demand increases and supply comes down comparatively. The rate of lemon in the wholesale market is between 1500 and 1800 for a bag of 300-500 lemons,” said Gambhir Singh, fruit vendor at mandi.
The price of lemon has increased from Rs 3 per piece to Rs 10 per piece in just 2 months. The vendors at the mandi claim that if the supply remains limited, the prices might go up to Rs 15 per piece.
“The price is expected to remain the same or even increase in the next two months, as its demand will go up manifold,” added Singh.
Shaila Gopi, a vegetable vendor at Ralamandal said that she usually avoids buying lemons as they do not have a high profit margin. She said, “The price per piece of lemon in the wholesale market is skyrocketing. Even if we sell per piece of lemon for Rs 10, we are hardly earning any profit.”
People shifting to Lemon squash
Poor and middle-class consumers commonly rely on roadside lemon juice pressers to quench their thirst during the summer. Lemon is also an essential ingredient to marinate dishes. However, the price hike has forced people to shift to artificial lemon squash. Ram Chowdhary, a fruit juice seller at Bhawarkua said, “I usually never use squash to prepare any juice, but the high price of lemon has forced me to opt for squash. I cannot afford making lemon juice as people usually avoid spending big bucks over it.”
Transport cost increases
The price of other vegetables also went up by 25% on Monday. “The supply was less due to the festival of Holi, as many farmers did not turn up with their trucks on Monday. However, the rate of vegetables has also increased due to the rise in transportation charges thanks to fuel prices,” said Radhe Gambar, vendor at mandi.
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