At ₹250/kg, lemon price soars to all-time high in Chandigarh

Even though the price of lemon increases in summer, according to mandi officials, it had never crossed ₹200 per kg and the citrus fruit would normally be sold for ₹40 for 250 gm

Just a few weeks after green chilli rates shot up to the highest in two years, now lemons are selling for an all-time high price of ₹250 per kg at the city’s apni mandis.

Due to the heat and fuel price hike, some vegetables are also becoming more expensive in Chandigarh. (HT File Photo)

Even though the price of lemon increases in summer, according to mandi officials, it had never crossed ₹200 per kg and the citrus fruit would normally be sold for ₹40 for 250 gm.

But amid shortage of supply, lemon rates climbed rapidly in the latter half of February when it was being sold for ₹60- ₹70 per kg. Speaking about this, a mandi supervisor with Punjab Mandi Board, Komal Singh Sharma said, “There is a no particular reason for the shortage of lemons in the market, as the crop was not even affected by the Janauary and February rains.”

But it is being suspected that suppliers are stockpiling lemons to jack up the prices.

Amid shortage of supply, lemon rates climbed rapidly in the latter half of February when it was being sold for ₹60- ₹70 per kg. (HT)

At the Sector 26 wholesale market, auction recorder with the Chandigarh Market Committee, Anil Kumar said, “During summer, there is a high demand for lemons as people want to enjoy summer drinks. But the supply has been slow this year, which has driven up prices.”

Kumar said lemons during this time of the year were sourced from far-off places like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan via Delhi. “While the wholesale price of lemons is around ₹120-130 per kg, when bought as such, many turn out to be unripe and have to be removed, thus increasing their retail price,” he added.

Meanwhile, even as the hike in fuel prices may be a factor behind this steep increase in prices, other vegetables, which are also brought from other states, haven’t been affected as much.

The price of onions continues to be stable at ₹25 per kg, potatoes at ₹18 per kg and tomatoes at ₹30 per kg.

However, as per Harpreet Singh, another mandi supervisor with Punjab Mandi Board, due to the heat and fuel price hike, some vegetables were becoming more expensive. The price of bitter gourd had risen by ₹20 per kg and lady’s finger by ₹10 per kg over the past two weeks. Further spike in prices can be expected if the fuel prices continue to increase, he said.