NELLORE: Lemon prices have been steadily rising in Gudur, one of Asia’s largest wholesale markets, as intense heat and increased consumption during the on-going Shravan month with supply not able to meet the demand.
The price of lemons, which was around Rs 100 a kg last month, has now doubled to nearly Rs 200. Large quantities of lemons normally arrive at the Gudur market from extensive orchards spread across Saidapuram, Podalakur, Rapur, Venkatagiri, and Balayapalli mandals. However, traders said arrivals from these areas have fallen sharply this season.
The shortage has affected supplies to major markets in New Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, Gaya, Ujjain, Patna, Ranchi, and several parts of Bihar.
At the Gudur lemon market auction, high-quality lemons fetched up to Rs 200 a kg. A similar situation is being witnessed at the Podalakur lemon market.
Lemon production has declined substantially across the four to five mandals served by the Podalakur market, resulting in a continuous fall in arrivals.
Podalakur lemon market traders said prices were favourable, but the shortage of produce in orchards had severely restricted arrivals in the market.
They attributed the sharp rise in prices primarily to the scarcity of lemons.
