GUWAHATI: Blame it on the burgeoning export to overseas markets or the supposed “off season” in the state, Assam’s humble kaji nemu’s prices have witnessed considerable spike in recent times.
The recently crowned State Fruit of Assam, is selling like hotcakes in local bazaars, pushing its price up north in the past couple of days.
While sellers and vendors attribute the price rise to the citrus fruit’s “off season”, many point to the mounting export of the kaji nemu to international markets.
Assam recently achieved a remarkable milestone with the export of 5,000 Assam Lemons (Kaji Nemu) to London on December 27, 2023.
Previously, in December 2020 and January 2021, nearly 6 metric tons of this extraordinary lemon variety found its way to European markets.
While for some, this price rise may seem like a fruitful fulfillment of Assam’s agricultural aspirations, highlighting its unique culinary heritage on the world stage, others are unhappy with the state fruit becoming expensive locally.
The significance of the GI-tagged fruit in Assam goes beyond mere culinary identity.
For instance, today, the cultivation of the Assam indigenous lemon serves as a means of alternative livelihood for residents of elephant-human conflict-prone areas in the state.
The fruit also has medicinal uses. With its unique aroma and antioxidant properties, the Assam lemon is valued for its fragrance, acidic content, and natural compounds such as minerals, citric acid, and ascorbic acid.
As Assam lemons continue to dent buyers’ pockets in the markets, one thing stands true – the kaji nemu, with its distinctive qualities ranging from culinary to medicinal uses, has seen a definite uptick in demand and price.
