Farmers in Chendipada of Odisha's Angul district have exported lemons to the United Kingdom for the first time. Around 500 acres (202 hectares) in the region are under lemon cultivation, where the crop is considered an agricultural lifeline.
Until now, farmers faced difficulties due to the absence of proper marketing facilities. They sold lemons for Rs20 to Rs30 per hundred fruits (US$0.24–0.36), often below labour costs, with many fruits left to rot.
With support from the Odisha Rural Development & Marketing Society (ORMAS) and the Kopi Fry Farm Producer Company, lemons were exported this month after being selected, graded, and packed. Only fruit above 30 grams was included. Farmers received over Rs 120 per hundred fruits (US$1.44), nearly four times higher than previous prices. From Chendipada alone, more than 100,000 lemons were shipped in three batches, with growing demand reported.
Tuani Sahu, a farmer, said: "We feel we have lost precious years in just selling at rates far below the market rate. Now, at least we know our fruit can help us sustain us in months when we do not have any other crops to cultivate. We are all happy to have received a demand from countries abroad, and now we will pay more attention to growing and reaping lemons."
Another grower, Gitanjali Pradhan, noted: "We used to leave a lot of lemons in the tree as we did not have a market. Those lemons would fall down and rot. Now it is precious for us. It is like winning over years-long war and struggle. At least we will give importance to our lemon orchards now on."
After grading and packing, surplus lemons are sent to cold storage and later distributed to women's groups through ORMAS for value-added products such as pickles and juices.
The climate of Angul district is suitable for lemon cultivation, with areas near forests less favourable for crops such as paddy and sugarcane due to wild animal raids. "But lemon is never liked by the animals and remains as it is on the trees. Even the soil is conducive for growing lemons, and not much hard work goes into it," said farmer Bipin Sahu.
Deputy CEO of ORMAS, Bimal Mall, said only the Chhendipada block has been included this year, with plans to expand to more villages in 2026. Kopi Fry Farm Producer Company CEO Satyajit Jena added that farmer awareness is essential to ensure high-grade produce for export.
India produces around 3.8 million tons of lemons and limes, about 18% of global output. Lemon production is projected to surpass 4 million tons by 2026. Andhra Pradesh leads Indian lemon production with 1.1 lakh acres, followed by Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu. India is the third-largest exporter worldwide, after Turkey and South Africa, with over 21,000 shipments annually.
Source: ETV Bharat
