Lemons are 'sour'

Tribune News Service

Manmeet Singh Gill

Amritsar, April 12

Common man’s summer drink — the humble shikanjvi’ or nimboo pani — seems to have become a luxury for the poor this summer, as lemons are priced over Rs280 per kg in the retail market.

The prices are more than double of the highest price of lemons recorded last year (Rs150). Vegetable sellers in the city claim that prices have come down from Rs400 per kg as lemons were priced above Rs300 per kg in the wholesale vegetable market and were hard to find.

Cultivators said the early onset of summer has resulted in shedding flowers from the trees. As a result, the yield has fallen drastically. Though the increase in prices is a yearly phenomenon, as the demand increases during the summer months, never have these been sold above Rs150 per kg. The normal retail price of lemons in the city has always been around Rs120 per kg, which decreases to nearly half in the winter months.

Harmeet Singh, a commission agent, said: “The prices are high across the country.” He said while the demand is at an all-time high, the supply is low. High fuel prices have further made transportation from other states costly.

Even the prices of other seasonal green vegetables are unaffordable for the poor. Ladyfinger is priced at Rs120 per kg, ‘kaddu’ and ‘halwa’, too, are priced at Rs50 and Rs40, respectively.

Local resident Rajni Arora said: “The only solace is that the price of onions is stable at Rs30 per kg.” She complained that managing the kitchen budget has become a headache.

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Tribune News Service

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