'Sharbat' sellers in trouble as lemon cost jumps to Rs 10/piece

KOLKATA: Sharbat sellers around Nakhoda mosque are in a fix as the price of lemon touch Rs 10 at the time of Ramzan month.

"The profit margin has reduced by almost 50 per cent. We are buying half the quantity of lemons required for a day compared to non Ramzan day," said Md Zahid Hasan, sharbat seller outside Nakhoda mosque (Kolkata's biggest mosque).

He reiterated that depending on the quality the cost of lemon in the market varies between Rs 8 and Rs 10.

"The price of lemon shot up from Rs 2 to Rs 8 from the first day of Ramzan (April 3). We are selling the Nimbu sharbat and Nimbu pani at Rs 10 per glass. We have not increased the price of Nimbu sharbat and Nimbu pani," pointed out Md Rehan, another sharbat seller.

Zakaria Street, located around the magnificent Nakhoda Masjid, is known for a tremendous rush of customers who buy itfar items including sharbat during the Ramadan month every year. The vendors pointed out that there is shortage in supply and high demand of lemon during the summer season.