Lemon prices skyrocket in Hyderabad, dozen sold at Rs. 100

Traders attribute the price increase to summer and the recent unseasonal rains and storms across the State that eventually led to the damages in orchids

Hyderabad: The prices of lemon have skyrocketed with a dozen of quality lemons sold at Rs.100 in the supermarkets.

Traders attribute the price increase to summer and the recent unseasonal rains and storms across the State that eventually led to the damages in orchids.

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A 25 kg bag of lemon is now auctioned for a price between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,000 in the market at Darulshifa and Darulshifa . The lower quality of the lemon is sold for Rs.1,500 to Rs.1,800 a bag in the wholesale market.

The traders also point out the middlemen are exploiting the farmers and purchasing lemons from them at a lower prices and sending them to other states and earning profits.

“The local middlemen are procuring lemons from the farmers and directly selling it to traders in Delhi where they are getting a good price. The local supplies have also come down due to it,” said Mohd Salam, a lemon trader at Chaderghat.

Jeep loads of lemon arrive at the city from Suryapet, Nakrekal, Narketpally, Chityala and Nalgonda areas of erstwhile Nalgonda district.

Another trader, Syed Ibrahim, said the supplies have come down to nearly half since mid April. As against 1,200 to 1,500 bags of lemon, each weighing 25 kg, only 800-1,000 bags have been arriving at the market.

The prices of lemon in the retail market increase as different set off middlemen purchase it from the main dealers and then supply it to the vegetable vendors. Due to the shortage of lemons and a high price, hoteliers have stopped serving lemon in salads as accompaniment to biryani and Chinese fast food.