Price of limes doubles at APMC; consumers feel pinch when fruit is most in demand
A lime trader at APMC, Vashi. Pic/Abhitash Singh
After Alphonso mangoes, it’s now the humble ‘nimbu’ that’s burning pockets. In a spike over three weeks, lime prices have nearly doubled across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. At the APMC wholesale market, limes are now selling at Rs 5 per piece, up from Rs 2-R3 just weeks ago. Retail markets are no better, with prices touching Rs 20 for two li, es, compared to four for Rs 20 earlier. Traders at APMC dismissed the recent unseasonal rain as the reason behind the surge, pointing instead to a clear supply-demand mismatch.
Rs 10
Current price of one lime
Lime markets
Retail
Current price R20 for two limes
3 weeks ago Rs 20 for four limes
Wholesale
Current price Rs 5 for one lime
3 weeks ago Rs 2-Rs 3 per limes
Reason for surge
. High summer demand (March-June peak)
. Limited supply from Andhra Pradesh
. No arrivals from Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu
. Added transport costs to retail markets
Trend to continue?
Traders say prices may stay high through April, which demand among customers is high, unless supply from other states resumes.
Coolers turn up the heat
From roadside stalls to small eateries, the price hike is forcing vendors to rethink pricing. Sunil Honrao, owner of Khanderaya Hotel, said, “Earlier, we used to give lime juice at Rs 15 per glass, but now we have increased it to Rs 20 due to rising lime prices.”
Ajay Yadav, a juice seller from Nerul, added, “People rush for lime drinks during the summer, but now due to the price increase, we have doubled our rates from Rs 10 to Rs 20 per glass.”
Youngsters beat the summer heat with nimbu pani. Pic/Abhitash Singh
Homes feel pinch
The price shock is now hitting kitchens across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Swapna Nelly, a resident of Vashi, said, “We used to use limes daily in dal and salads. Now we are using them only when needed.” Sunita Mishra, a resident of Nerul, added, “Earlier I would buy in bulk, now I just buy two to three limes. It feels expensive for such a basic item.”
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