Bhubaneswar: In a significant boost to local farmers, nearly one lakh lemons have been exported to the United States from Angul in three consignments during August, facilitated by the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS). The export drive is aimed at tapping the growing international demand for Angul lemons, particularly in markets such as the US and the UK.
The consignments, originating from Ogi village under Chhendipada block, were dispatched in collaboration with Cropify, a farmer-producer company based in Jarapada. The first shipment, comprising 26,000 lemons, was sent on August 7.
For years, lemon growers in Angul struggled with low returns, often selling 100 lemons for a meager Rs 20–30. However, with the intervention of Cropify and ORMAS, farmers are now receiving Rs 100 per hundred lemons, ensuring a three to fourfold increase in their earnings.
Besides exporting fresh lemons, value-added products such as lemon juice, pickles, and squashes are also being developed for broader markets, providing farmers with diversified income sources.
“Earlier, my annual earnings from lemons were barely Rs 20,000–30,000. I was considering cutting down my trees and shifting to other crops. But with ORMAS’ support, I am optimistic about earning good profits. Poor prices previously forced us to leave many lemons unharvested, but that has changed now,” said Bipin Sahu, a lemon farmer from the region.
Another farmer, Tunia Sahu, added, “Traders used to pay only 20 paise per lemon, which wasn’t enough to cover the harvesting cost of Rs 6 per sack. We had stopped plucking lemons, but now the government’s assurance of Rs 1 per lemon has revived our hopes. We have also requested an increase to Rs 1.50 in the future.”
ORMAS Deputy CEO Biman Mal expressed satisfaction over the initiative’s success.
“We have exported around 30,000 to 40,000 lemons recently. Besides fresh lemons, we are also preparing lemon juice, khatta, and other products to cater to wider markets. Farmers are benefiting significantly from better prices,” he said.
This initiative marks a promising step toward improving farmers’ livelihoods and enhancing the global reputation of Angul’s lemon produce.
