Onam, the season of festivities and weddings, meant brisk business and bulk orders for the farmers of Puliyankudi till recently.
A village in Tenkasi on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border and the hub of lemon growers and traders, Puliyankudi used to transport large consignments of the fruit to various parts of India earning the title of ‘Lemon City.’
But COVID-19 changed the scene for the village where nearly 50% farmers depend on lemon.
Drop in price
The sharp drop in price induced by the second wave of the pandemic has left the farmers in distress, forcing them to sell the produce at very low rates.
“The demand nosedived in 2021 and has now hit an all-time low. We have over 1,000 lemon trees and everything, from procurement to sales, has been hit,” says K. Siddique, a farmer from Puliyankudi.
Many farmers grow the ‘naattu’ variety of lemon. There are different types meant for making pickle, juice and ‘sadam’ (rice). Since lemons are offered to all guests in Kerala weddings, price used to soar during the month of Chingam.
“But now weddings have become very small gatherings with less than 50 attendees. Also, we are tired of hearing ‘namukk Onam illa’ from Kerala buyers,” says Kaja Mohideen, a merchant in Puliyankudi. During the pre-pandemic days even small lemons were sold for ₹50 a kilogram, with the first quality ones fetching more than ₹100.
“Now the price has come down to ₹30. Farmers are unable to cover even the production expenses. Many farmers and traders are contemplating other options due to the dip in demand,” he adds.
No online orders
According to vendors in Kerala, wholesale traders bring truckloads of lemons to the State in the season after summer . “But of late all the small-scale joints and street vendors who sell juices and sarbaths have remained closed. Since nobody orders lime juice online, the demand was very low,” says Mathew Paul, a Kochi-based merchant. In the absence of ‘sadyas,’ tourism, and temple festivals, the fruit has fewer takers.
“Many temples in Kerala used to buy daily loads of lemon for offerings like ‘naranga mala.’ But devotees were not allowed during lockdown and even now entry is restricted. And now with all the uncertainties stemming from the spike in COVID-19 cases there is no point in pre-booking or procuring huge volumes,” says Radhakrishnan, a vendor from Kottayam.
