Nellore: Lemon farmers in gloom as prices dip

Nellore: Scarcity of water, frequent failure of monsoon, coupled with a steep fall in prices are the main reasons in the district for lemon farmers quitting the cultivation and switch to other alternative crops.

In the last three months, the lemon markets in Gudur and Podalakuru wore a deserted look due lack of proper business transactions following the steep fall in lemon prices.

The markets in Podalakuru and Gudur are popular for exporting acid lemon to Delhi, Kolcata, Nagpur, Mumbai and Chennai during peak season. “I have never seen such a bad situation during my 30 years of lemon trade. Last year during same Dasara time about 20 to 25 trucks were exported per day to other states. But this year it is very hard to export even 10 trucks due to drastic fall in lemon price,” said M Balakrishna Reddy, a lemon trader in Podalakuru market to The Hans India.

According to the official sources, lemon cultivation is taken up in dryland areas in Podalakuru, Gudur, Kaluvai, Saidapuram, Venkatagiri, Dakkili, Balayapalle, Rapur and 10 mandals in joint Nellore district.

About 75,000 farmers cultivating the lemon crop under borewells and traders running over 50 shops in both Gudur and Podalakuru markets.

Pasupuleti Muni Kishore, a lemon farmer from Podalakuru town, said the lemon farmers incurred huge crop loss this time due to crash in prices. A 75-kg lemon bag, which is sold for Rs 15,000 in last Dasara festival, was now sold at Rs 1,500 in the market, he said.

Though cultivation price skyrocketed from Rs 75,000 to Rs 2 lakh, due to phenomenal rise in pesticides prices and high wages of labour, we are getting a paltry amount, he pointed out. Lemon Buyers Association president A Srinivasulu said that lemon trade has drastically come down to Rs 10 crore from Rs 60 crore due to various reasons including lack of support price, crashing of prices and increasing road transport costs.