DINDIGUL: Farmers in Palani and nearby areas in Dindigul district are increasingly turning to lemon cultivation, finding it more profitable and marketable than traditional crops like tomato, sapota and guava. They say lemons could be directly sold to retailers or wholesalers, bypassing commission agents or traders.
Speaking to TNIE, B Raja, a farmer said, “Lemon mostly grows in red soil, which is mostly prevalent in Palani and its surroundings. There are many varieties of lemon saplings - Rs 120 (3 years old), Rs 90 (1 year old), and PKM (Periyakulam variety) costing Rs 10 (2 months old). Around 80-90 saplings can be planted in one acre. The total cost of inputs including fertiliser and pesticide touch Rs 20,000 per acre. Each lemon tree, which lives for 6-10 years, yields around 1,000 to 2,000 lemons annually. The cost for plucking is Rs 500 per day, but if the farmer’s family pluck it, the expense is reduced.”
Speaking to TNIE, G Radhakrishnan another farmer said, “The wastage is less in lemon farmland. If a lemon falls on the ground, it remains the same without decaying for more than three days. But for the guava, it isn’t. A guava starts to decay, the moment it falls on the ground. A guava farmer could lose more than 40-60 boxes (1 box-25 kilograms) per year due to decay.”
Besides, he mentioned that lemons are also procured by pickle factories and industries for a good price of Rs 90 per kg. According to the horticulture department, over 400 hectares of fresh plantations of lemon were noticed in Palani and Oddanchatram in 2024-25. Overall gross cropped areas in Dindigul have grown from 2,376 hectares in 2021-22 to 2,900 hectares in 2024-25.
Tamil Nadu Farmers Protection Association (Dindigul) secretary K Vadivel said, “Many times, the price doesn’t fluctuate and we find farmers often choosing farm produce whose price is mostly stable. Just as white ants destroy coconut trees, guava plants also suffer from infections, making lemons a safer choice.
An official from the Horticulture Department (Dindigul) said, “Farmers switch from one crop to another if it is financially beneficial. Farmers in hilly areas prefer lemons to other crops in Palani and Oddanchatram taluks in Dindigul district and the overall crop pattern of the district remains largely unchanged.”