Nalgonda lemon farmers face bitter blow as prices tumble

Lemon farmers in Nalgonda district are facing a severe crisis as wholesale prices nosedive despite high retail rates. Nakrekal, the state's only government-run lemon yard, sees massive daily arrivals, yet most produce sells below Rs 200 per bag.

Nalgonda: Lemons continue to command high prices in city markets and beyond. However, lemon farmers are caught in a severe crisis as prices plummet, leaving growers in the erstwhile Nalgonda district at the mercy of market forces. For years, Nakirekal has served as the hub for lemon trade. Farmers from Miryalaguda, Kodad, Suryapet, and various parts of Yadadri Bhongir district transport their produce to this market.

Traders dispatch the lemons to southern destinations, including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. This time, the tables have turned dramatically for farmers, who have been forced to sell their produce for a song for over a month now. Shipments from the region to various states remain steady each season. Yet, a sharp drop in prices has plunged farmers into distress.

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Compounding the issue is a severe shortage of labour needed to harvest lemons from the trees. The state’s only government-operated lemon market is located right here in Nakrekal. At the Nakrekal lemon yard, current prices for a tikki (25 kg bag) range from Rs 150 to Rs 200, with over 20,000 tikkis arriving daily—translating to more than 5 lakh kg traded each day.

Premium-quality lemons fetch Rs 300–400 per bag, but the majority sell for less than Rs 200. Farmers recall last year’s August–September season, when prices soared to Rs 800–1,100 per 25 kg bag. The primary lemon season runs from February to June, while August and September mark the shorter off-season period. Lemons sourced here are currently being exported to markets in Delhi as well.

Local buyers note that cold weather in those regions has done little to prop up prices. In a silver lining, farmers bypassing local channels and shipping directly to Bengaluru report fetching over Rs 750 for A-grade 25 kg lemons. The local market operates without dedicated traders. The commission agents serve dual roles as buyers and sellers. Farmers accuse these agents of forming a syndicate that manipulates price recovery.

For years, growers have been demanding the marketing department to install online digital boards in the yard, displaying real-time daily lemon prices from major markets such as Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Mumbai. However, officials have repeatedly ignored these demands, drawing sharp criticism from the farming community.