Author: HILDA MHAGAMA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE price of lemon in the local market has tripled on the back of regional export demand as users believe the fruits are protecting them from contracting Covid-19.
Most users associate lemon with increasing relief for Covid-19 related symptoms, hence demand for the fruit has soared in recent weeks as buyers are coming from Uganda and as far as Comoro.
They believe the fruit has helped protect Tanzanians from the global pandemic with the disease almost defeated in the East African country.
A spot check by the ‘Daily News’ at Mabibo and Kimara market revealed that the lemon prices have increased with one piece now retailing at 300/- from 50/- as most exporters from Comoro buy the fruit even before harvest.
“The local supplies have dropped as they are getting out of season and most of the lemons during this time were coming from Kenya, but now we don’t get from them because lemons boost immunity against coronavirus,” said Ms Rehema Kavenuke a trader in Kimara.
Ms Kavenuke further said most of the lemons are coming from Njombe and are increasingly exported to Uganda and Comoro, which has spiked retail prices in most markets.
At Mabibo market in Kinondoni District, three lemons are retailing at 1,000/- up from 500/- per five lemons due to the decreased supply and increased demand.
According to Maria Yohana, who trades at the market, in the past vendors would beg people to buy lemons but after the coronavirus pandemic demand for the fruit has shot up.
“Most people from other countries believe that Tanzanians have been using a concoction of ginger, lemon and honey to cure coronavirus,” she said.
According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), citrus is produced in most countries in Africa, in East Africa; Tanzania is the third-ranking citrus-producing country after Kenya and Madagascar, with a total production of about 45,084 metric tonnes annually.
Reports have it that lemon prices have more than doubled over the past month in Kenya following decline supplies from Tanzania and increased demand due to use as Covid-19 remedy, as it is the case with ginger.
However, the price of ginger has not sky-rocketed. A 50-kilo bag of lemons at a Kenya local market is going at Ksh 5,000 (equivalent to Tsh 110,000/-) from 3,000 shillings (equivalent to Tsh 66,000/-) previously as demand rises.
The South African citrus industry has also been exporting record volumes to international markets following the surge in demand for lemons.
