National average rises to Rs 8,724/quintal; steep monthly spikes and triple-digit annual gains point to tightening supplies and regional imbalances

Wholesale lemon prices rose sharply across India in April 2026, with the all-India average climbing to Rs 8,724.85 per quintal from Rs 7,799.37 in March and Rs 7,095.82 a year earlier, reflecting tightening supplies and strong demand across key consumption centres.

Sharp monthly spikes across key markets

The rally was led by northern and central markets, where prices surged significantly on a month-on-month basis. Delhi recorded the steepest increase at 54.7 per cent, followed by Madhya Pradesh (53.4 per cent) and Punjab (52.3 per cent), pointing to acute supply constraints.

Uttarakhand (33.6 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (30.4 per cent) also saw strong gains, while Tamil Nadu (16.9 per cent) and Haryana (15.1 per cent) posted healthy increases, indicating a broad-based upward trend across regions.

Moderate gains were observed in Gujarat (11.9 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (9.0 per cent), Chandigarh (8.2 per cent) and Rajasthan (7.7 per cent), suggesting steady demand and tightening arrivals.

However, not all markets moved in tandem. Kerala saw a sharp correction of 29.1 per cent, while Odisha (-12.5 per cent) and Assam (-5.4 per cent) also reported declines, indicating localised easing of supply pressures.

Annual trends point to strong inflationary pressures

On a year-on-year basis, prices have risen sharply across most states, underlining persistent inflationary pressures in the lemon market.

Madhya Pradesh recorded a 147.2 per cent increase, while Tripura saw an even sharper rise of 197.1 per cent. Odisha prices doubled, rising 100 per cent over the year.

Other major gains were seen in Andhra Pradesh (64.4 per cent), Jammu and Kashmir (43.7 per cent), Delhi (35.1 per cent), Tamil Nadu (31.3 per cent) and Rajasthan (30.3 per cent).

In contrast, Punjab (-24.6 per cent) and Kerala (-10.8 per cent) reported declines, while Uttar Pradesh saw a marginal drop of 3.2 per cent.

A sharp anomaly was observed in Assam, where prices declined by 99.7 per cent year-on-year, indicating either data distortion or extreme market dislocation.

Wide price spread underscores fragmentation

Inter-state price dispersion remained wide, reflecting uneven supply and demand conditions. Himachal Pradesh reported the highest price at Rs 14,919.64 per quintal, followed by Jammu and Kashmir at Rs 13,186.44 and Uttarakhand at Rs 11,464.31.

At the lower end, Tripura (Rs 5,000) and Punjab (Rs 6,131.27) reported relatively subdued prices, while Assam’s reported price of Rs 6.87 stood out as an outlier.

Tight supplies to keep prices elevated, volatility to linger

The sharp uptick in the national average, alongside pronounced inter-state disparities, points to a market still grappling with uneven supply conditions rather than a broad-based demand surge.

Seasonal constraints, weather variability and patchy arrivals across key producing belts are continuing to drive price behaviour, resulting in sharp, localised spikes and corrections.

In the near term, prices are likely to remain firm with intermittent volatility, particularly in high-consumption centres. The April trend underscores a structurally sensitive market, where improving supply visibility, logistics efficiency and real-time market intelligence will be critical to moderating extreme price swings.