Skip shikanji this fasting season as inflation takes away lemons

LUCKNOW: The steadily rising price of lemons has taken the citrus fruit off salad plates, leaving people concerned about having to empty their pockets this Ramzan and Navaratra if they want to break their fast with a glass of nimbu paani.
The prices in the city have increased from Rs 90 per kg to Rs 170 per kg in a week. Retail vegetable vendors attributed this to summer hoarding in southern states.Wholesalers too blamed southern states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh for the price rise.

Meanwhile, alternatives for shikanji are being offered in households, while restaurants have quietly taken lemon drinks off the menu. From matar chaat stalls to dhabas and hotels, that half-a-lemon topping on a plate of green salad has gone missing and asking for it may get you scoffed at or cost you extra.
Hazratganj resident Ranjan Singh, who drinks lemonade after having lunch, found something missing in his lemonade he bought from the usual vendor near his office on Friday.
“In summer, I take nimbu paani regularly. But the glass of lemonade was not as refreshing as it used to be. It tasted more like plain water and less lemony,” he told TOI. On being asked, the vendor said he now uses half a lemon due to price rise. Similarly, home-maker from Kanpur Road, Vandna Singh said, “I have started giving glucose water instead of lemonade to my children after they return from school as lemon is costing Rs 7-10 a piece.”
“We often break Navratri fast by having shikanji. If prices continue to rise, we have to look for other options,” said Rajendra Singh from Balaganj.
This price rise has hurt nimbu paani and shikanji sherbet sellers the most. Vendors say that though customers are demanding drinks at the regular price of Rs 10 for a small glass to Rs 20 for the large one, the cost of making it has gone up. A shikanji cart owner in Dubagga said, “There are synthetic products that could smell and taste like lemon, but drinking them might cause health issues.”