Lemon prices go up amid immunity-boosting efforts
Amidst heightened health consciousness for the pandemic, lemon prices are skyrocketing in its present away season, benefitting a wide array of farmers in the Sylhet division, especially those in Moulvibazar's Sreemangal Upazila.
So much in order that the cost of each individual "hali", the Bangla for four bits of something, has truly gone up four or fivefold to round Tk 100.
"Unimaginable…I haven't seen anything enjoy it," says Shaymal Debborma, who has got been cultivating the citric fruit in Tiprachherra because the period of his forefathers.
Lots of people, especially marginal farmers, have been largely dependent on cultivating lemons in the region even before Bangladesh gained independence, he said.
During the harvest time of year from April to September, every four lemons generally fetch around Tk 20, stated farmer Md Sadek Mia of Jamburachherra.
With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic this past year, an individual lemon was selling for Tk 10-Tk 15, he said.
Demand was driven up by the actual fact that lemon juice is a substantial source of vitamin C, which ensures healthy immune devices.
The common man needs 40 milligrammes a day, said the Kulaura upazila health insurance and planning officer, Dr Nurul Haque.
Vitamin C really helps to heal wounds and prevents kidney rock disease while the interior lining of lemon peels protects veins and arteries, he said.
Local healthcare officials encouraged drinking lemon juice to prevent coronavirus, stated Abul Kashem, a resident of Purbasha village.
He was frustrated at the prices, saying even the small-sized kinds which were yet to mature were each for sale at Tk 9 as the medium types at Tk 15.
Meanwhile, farmers were set for a surprise bumper harvest in the off season, thanks to the availability of water, favourable weather conditions, suitable land and affordable labour, according to farmer Milon Sheikh of Jamburachherra village.
"Buyers have located orders of big volumes," he said.
There are 1,751 orchards on 1,675 hectares of land in Moulvibazar, in line with the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE). In 2020, 26,800 tonnes were created.
Most of the country's demand has been met from Sreemangal, mentioned the DAE Moulvibazar unit's deputy director, Kazi Lutful Bari.
The most used varieties are Kagoji, Jara, Jhuta, China, Elachi, Beej-Shunya and Sharboti, he said.
Different types of Sylhet region are available year round but the peak harvest season starts on July and continues till September, stated Dilip Kumar Adhikary, extra director of the DAE's Sylhet division product.
It is high in demand found in cities but only a few wholesalers are providing it in the marketplaces lately, he added.
Lemons were unavailable found in winter a good few years ago however now due to the request of advanced systems and cultivation of high-yield varieties, the citric fruit is produced across the year, said farmer Shamsul Haque.
He, however, claimed to be deprived of his good share from market prices.
Farmers have to pay 5 % of product sales to wholesalers in fact it is not possible to perform organization bypassing them, he said.
Normally in this season, every 1,000 lemons fetch Tk 1,500-Tk 2,000 at low cost but now it is Tk 7,000-Tk 10,000, said the president of the area's lemon and pineapple wholesalers' association, Hazi Jasim Uddin.
The source is low, said trader Mizanur Rahman of Notunbazar area to this correspondent.
Demand has been high for recent a few months and even the small ones which have hardly any juice interior are each advertising for Tk 8 on the average, he said.
