Bhubaneswar: It’s not just the increasing prices of petrol and diesel, hiked almost daily since March 22, that are burning a hole in the common man’s pocket.
Prices of the humble lemon, a staple food item in Odisha during the scorching summer months to remain dehydrated that’s eaten with ‘pakhala’ or simply squeezed into a glass of water, have also sky-rocketed in recent days.
This summer, the citrus fruit has almost disappeared from households in Odisha with the price of lemon touching Rs 8 to 10 per piece.
People, used to buying the citrus fruit in generous quantities, are now buying it in ones or twos, not kilos. Even vendors, who would generously give away a few lemons to buyers free of cost, have stopped doing so.
The prices of lemon have sky-rocketed in other states as well. In Rajasthan, it has touched Rs 400 per kg. In Jaipur, a piece of lemon is selling for Rs 15 to Rs 17.
A week ago, the price of lemon was Rs 340-350 per kg in Rajasthan. In Gujarat’s Rajkot, it had touched Rs 260 per kg.
Some experts said that unseasonal rains this year had affected lemon farming, affecting output.
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