Current Affairs

Issue

Price of lemon has reached unprecedented heights in all parts of the country due to reduced yields.

 

Details

Lemons are majorly grown across the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Odisha. Andhra Pradesh is the biggest producer.

The fruit is grown across 3.17 lakh hectares across the country. About 37.17 lakh tonnes of the fruit is grown annually. The fruit is neither imported nor exported.

 

Varieties

The fruit is broadly categorized into lemon and lime. Round and thin-skinned kaagzi is the mostly commonly grown variety in the country.

Lime refers to the dark green fruits that are grown commercially in North India and the Northeast.

 

Climate for growing

The fruit grows well in warm, moderately dry and moist climate without heavy rainfall. Rains can cause diseases.

Fruits are induced through a process known as bahar. These events are called Ambe, Mrig and Hasta, which are named after season of flowering.

Majority of fruits harvested for market is harvested from the Ambe bahar, while the Mrig bahar contributes 30% and the Hasta bahar the rest.

 

Rise in prices

The lemon arrival in wholesale markets has been scanty due to low yields. This has resulted in rise in prices.

 

Reasons for shortage

The bahar treatment did not work due to excess moisture present in the soil as a result of heavy rainfall last monsoon.

There were no lemons left to be preserved for the markets. Unseasonal rainfall also caused yield to drop significantly.

 

Future aspects

The prices are not expected to cool down immediately. New arrivals are expected only after October and hence prices are expected to increase more.