A man in Gujarat recently received boxes of lemons as presents at a ceremony before his wedding, amid skyrocketing prices of the citrus fruit that makes a refreshing and much-loved summer drink.
Photos from the “haldi” ceremony, tweeted by news agency ANI, showed the groom flanked by two guests holding boxes full of lemons.
One of the guests told the ANI that he decided to gift the groom lemons because they have become dearer and will be much-needed in the summer season.
Lemon prices have touched Rs 250 per kg now. The yield of the citrus fruit has been low but the demand remains high.
Lemon sellers say customers have stopped purchasing from them. To beat the heat, they are turning to other drinks.
“Exorbitant prices have forced us to switch to other drinks like coconut water and lassi,” a customer in Haryana told the Tribune newspaper.
The prices of vegetables too have risen sharply in India. Increasing fuel prices have inflated transportation costs.
Since the four-and-a-half-month pause on fuel rate revisions ended on March 2022, the prices of petrol and diesel have been increased 14 times by a total of Rs 10 per litre.
In Mumbai, petrol now costs Rs 120.51 per litre -- the highest among metropolitan cities. Diesel is at priced at Rs 104.77 -- also more than the rates in Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.
In Delhi, the prices of petrol and diesel are Rs 105.41 per litre and Rs 96.67, respectively. Petrol costs Rs 110.85 in Chennai, while diesel is priced at Rs 100.94 per litre.
In Kolkata, the prices of petrol and diesel are Rs 115.12 and Rs 99.83.
(With inputs from ANI)
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