Farmers in Palani, India, and nearby areas of Dindigul district are increasingly turning to lemon cultivation, citing better profitability compared to traditional crops such as tomato, sapota, and guava. Lemons offer the advantage of being sold directly to retailers or wholesalers, avoiding intermediaries and improving margins.
Local farmer B. Raja explained that lemon trees grow well in the region's red soil. Various sapling types are available: a three-year-old sapling costs about $1.44 (₹120), a one-year-old around $1.08 (₹90), and a two-month-old PKM (Periyakulam variety) sapling just $0.12 (₹10). Around 80–90 saplings can be planted per acre, which is roughly 200–222 saplings per hectare. The total cost of inputs, including fertilisers and pesticides, is approximately $240 (₹20,000) per acre or about $593 per hectare. Each lemon tree, with a lifespan of 6 to 10 years, produces between 1,000 and 2,000 lemons annually. Harvesting costs are roughly $6 (₹500) per day but can be reduced if done by the farmer's family.
G. Radhakrishnan, another farmer, highlighted that lemon farming results in lower produce loss. "If a lemon falls to the ground, it stays intact for over three days. But guavas begin to rot as soon as they fall. A guava farmer may lose 40–60 boxes per year (each box containing 25 kg) due to decay," he noted.
Lemons are also in demand from pickle factories and the food industry, fetching up to $1.08 (₹90) per kilogram. The Horticulture Department has reported the planting of more than 400 hectares of new lemon orchards in Palani and Oddanchatram for the 2024–25 season. The gross cropped area in Dindigul district rose from 2,376 hectares in 2021–22 to 2,900 hectares in 2024–25.
K. Vadivel of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Protection Association observed that stable market prices are encouraging more farmers to make the switch. "Farmers often prefer crops with less price fluctuation," he said.
A Horticulture Department official added that financial considerations, combined with the region's favourable climate, are driving the transition to lemon cultivation in the hilly areas of Palani and Oddanchatram.
Source: New Indian Express