Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

New Delhi, Traders' body CAIT on Tuesday said it is expecting an expenditure of Rs 4.74 lakh crore in the upcoming <keyword id="6393318" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="wedding-season" source="Orion">wedding season</keyword> from November 23 to December 15, which is likely to see almost 38 lakh marriages. The expenditures related to <keyword id="6358814" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="wedding" source="Orion">wedding</keyword> purchases and procurement of various services by consumers this season are almost Rs 1 lakh crore more than the year-ago period, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said. The estimates are based on inputs from trade bodies in 30 cities in different states and stakeholders in goods and services. "During this period (November 23-December 15), it is estimated that around 38 lakh weddings will be solemnised with a total expenditure of around Rs 4.7 lakh crore," CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal told PTI on the sidelines of a press conference. "Last year, there were almost 32 lakh weddings with a total expenditure of Rs 3.75 lakh crore. So, this year there is (expected to be) an increase (in expenditure) of almost Rs 1 lakh crore which is a good sign for the Indian economy and retail trade," he said. The wedding dates during the season are November 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, and December 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 15, CAIT said. Khandelwal said in Delhi alone over 4 lakh weddings are expected this season, which could generate a business of about Rs 1.25 lakh crore.

Upcoming wedding season likely to generate Rs 4.7 lakh cr business in India : CAIT

Encouraged by the vigorous <keyword id="15310980" type="TOPIC" weightage="60" keywordseo="Business" source="TOPIC" sourcekeytype="business,investopedia" meta.keywordsubtype="null" meta.msid="92948412" meta.seopath="b/business" meta.entityname="Business" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="business">business</keyword> in the festive season of Diwali this year, traders across the country, including <keyword id="66" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi" source="Orion">Delhi</keyword>, are now preparing themselves for one another bonanza - the wedding season which <keyword id="15310100" type="TOPIC" weightage="60" keywordseo="Will" source="TOPIC" sourcekeytype="finance,investopedia" meta.keywordsubtype="null" meta.msid="92723889" meta.seopath="w/will" meta.entityname="Will" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="will">will</keyword> begin on November 14 through December 14. During this period, around 32 lakh weddings will be solemnised across the country with a massive flow of about Rs 3.75 lakh crore by way of wedding purchasing and obtaining various services in the business being conducted by the trading community, as per a survey conducted by the <keyword id="15451954" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cait-research-trade-development-society" source="Orion">CAIT Research &amp; Trade Development Society</keyword>. <keyword id="853920" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="cait" source="Orion">CAIT</keyword> said during the season, about 5 lakh weddings will have an estimated expenditure of Rs 3 lakhs each, while in about 10 lakh weddings the cost will be around Rs 5 lakhs each. Ten lakh weddings will cost Rs 10 lakhs each, 5 lakhs marriages will cost Rs 25 lakhs each, 50,000 marriages will have Rs 50 lakhs expenditure each and another 50 thousand marriages will be such in which Rs 1 crore or more will be spent! Overall in this one month, around Rs 3.75 lakh crore will flow through the wedding purchases in the markets, the survey revealed. The next phase of the wedding season will start from January 14, 2023 and will be continued till July. CAIT said that in Delhi alone, more than 3.5 lakh weddings are expected to take <keyword id="15310099" type="TOPIC" weightage="60" keywordseo="Place" source="TOPIC" sourcekeytype="marketing,investopedia" meta.keywordsubtype="null" meta.seopath="p/place" meta.entityname="Place" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="place">place</keyword> in this upcoming season, which is likely to generate a business of about Rs 75,000 crore. Last year, around 25 lakh weddings took place in the same period and expenses were estimated at Rs 3 lakh crore. CAIT said that in view of the good business prospects of the wedding season, traders across the country have made elaborate preparations as they want to continue the sentiments emanated from just concluded record business figures of Diwali this year. Traders are keeping all arrangements up to date with them to meet the possible rush of customers. They said that about 20 per cent of the expenditure of each marriage goes to the broom-bride's side while 80 per cent of the expenditure goes to other third agencies working in solemnising the marriage. CAIT informed that before the wedding season, a large amount of business has already occurred in the repair of houses. Apart from this, jewellery, sarees, lehengas, furniture, readymade garments, clothes, footwear, wedding and greeting cards, dry fruits, sweets, fruits, worship items, grocery, food grains, decoration items, home decoration items, electrical utility, electronics and many gift items etc are usually in <keyword id="15308237" type="TOPIC" weightage="60" keywordseo="Demand" source="TOPIC" sourcekeytype="economy,investopedia" meta.keywordsubtype="null" meta.msid="92562122" meta.seopath="d/demand" meta.entityname="Demand" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="demand">demand</keyword> and it is expected to do good business this year. Banquet halls, hotels, <keyword id="15311271" type="TOPIC" weightage="60" keywordseo="Open" source="TOPIC" sourcekeytype="equity,investopedia" meta.keywordsubtype="null" meta.seopath="o/open" meta.entityname="Open" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="open">open</keyword> lawns, community centres, public parks, farmhouses and many other types of places for weddings are fully prepared across the country. In addition to the purchase of accessories at each wedding, a wide variety of services are also involved, including tent decorators, flower decorations, crockery, catering service, travel service, cab service, welcoming professional groups, vegetable vendors, photographers, videographers, orchestra, DJ, horses for the procession, wagons, lights and many other types of services are likely to do big business this time. Along with this, event management has also emerged as a big business prospect. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/indian-e-rupee-to-boost-digital-payments-sans-bank-accounts-say-industry-stakeholders/articleshow/95332849.cms">Indian e-rupee to boost digital payments sans bank accounts, say industry stakeholders</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/manufacturing-sectors-growth-momentum-to-sustain-for-6-9-months-ficci/articleshow/95350880.cms">Manufacturing sector's growth momentum to sustain for 6-9 months: FICCI</a>

Traders prep for a Dec wedding bonanza with estimated 32 lakh weddings worth Rs 3.75 lak crore

New Delhi, Jan 30 () Gold prices on Thursday jumped Rs 400 to Rs 41,524 per 10 gram in the national capital helped by wedding season demand and overall recovery in global prices, according to HDFC Securities.
 Silver prices also climbed Rs 737 to Rs 47,392 per kg from Rs 46,655 per kg on Wednesday.
 In the previous trade, gold had closed at Rs 41,124 per 10 gram.
 "Spot gold of 24 karat in Delhi was trading higher by Rs 400 supported by wedding season demand and overall recovery in global gold prices. The busy wedding session in coming months may support spot gold prices to trade up," HDFC Securities Senior Analyst (Commodities) Tapan Patel said.
 Meanwhile, the rupee opened on a weak note and declined by 19 paise to 71.47 against the dollar in opening trade on Thursday.
 In the global market, both gold and silver were trading with gains at USD 1,582 per ounce and USD 17.72 per ounce, respectively. SUM HRS

Gold jumps Rs 400 on wedding season demand

<ul><li>The Delhi government is formulating a policy to curb <keyword id="622388" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="food-wastage">food wastage</keyword> at extravagant weddings after the matter was flagged in a <keyword id="6354977" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court">Supreme Court</keyword> order rolled out on 6 December, PTI reported. </li><li>The bench, headed by Justice Madan B Lokur, has marked 31 January, 2019 as the last date for Delhi government to formulate the policy and enable its implementation, to benefit citizens. </li><li>Usually, all of the leftover food from such weddings goes to waste. It is alleged that stale food in consequent weddings leading to major health problems.</li></ul>Amid the high wedding season in India’s capital, Delhi government is working on formulating a policy to curb food wastage at extravagant weddings along with limiting the number of guests at such functions after the Supreme Court’s directive, PTI <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sc-contemplating-limiting-number-of-guests-manage-food-wastage-at-weddings/story-ZipvMC8cyaHkPvsF1oQhHN.html">reported</a>. A bench directed by Justice Madan B Lokur was formed. Vijay Kumar Dev, Delhi Chief Secretary, reportedly told the bench that the issue has been discussed after it was flagged in a court order rolled out on 6 December. According to one Delhi government official, Dev also said that there was ‘artificially enhanced demand’ to have such outrageous wedding functions in Delhi, said the report. To address the issue, the government has suggested that wedding organisers should work with with NGOs that provide food to the needy, under the Food Safety and Standards Act. The bench said that the first step should be to formulate a policy followed by its implementation. The council for Delhi government said that it took eight weeks to roll out the policy and register caterers under the Food Safety and Standards Act. A policy is expected by the end of January. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/an-indian-electricity-tribunal-has-a-bizarre-job-requirementyou-must-not-have-been-married-twice/articleshow/67055748.cms">An Indian electricity tribunal has a bizarre job requirement—you must not have been married twice</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-supreme-court-approves-round-the-clock-witness-protection-scheme/articleshow/66964318.cms">India's Supreme Court approves round-the-clock witness protection scheme</a>

India’s Supreme Court wants the Delhi government to crack down on big, fat Indian weddings to curb food wastage — and a policy could be in place by next month

<ul><li>The ‘Well Played India’ campaign specifically highlights four key moments of the year and what Spotify users listened to the most, during these moments.</li><li>Right from ‘Diwali cooking’ to ‘post-Diwali workout’, and from the ‘wedding season’ to the ‘traffic’ season that comes along with the weddings, the brand campaign depicts how every situation was accompanied by music. </li><li>The campaign features two TVCs, 25 digital creatives across online and social media platforms, and 15 OOH creatives highlighting culturally relevant audio trends, through the end of the year.</li><li>Spotify’s latest campaign ‘Well-played’ India is an extension of #SpotifyWrapped that celebrates how Indians listened to music throughout the year</li></ul>Last week, Spotify global started a campaign called ‘#SpotifyWrapped’ and gave a sneak-peek into what the audience from different corners of the world listened to in 2019. The campaign was later followed in India and gained a huge momentum on social media as more than 11,000 users shared their Wrapped cards. The maximum search volume for #SpotifyWrapped so far, came from Goa, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Delhi and Karnataka. Beyond users and artists, brands and influencers also joined in the -- right from Netflix to Boscia and Akshar Pathak. To amplify the impact of this consumer engaging campaign further, Spotify is now running ‘Well Played India’, a marketing campaign across TV, outdoor, and digital, to celebrate how Indians listened to music through 2019. The essence of this campaign is to highlight the biggest music streaming trends across the country, based on cultural and seasonal moments of listening. What differentiates this campaign from Spotify’s previous marketing campaigns here is that ‘Well Played India’ at its core, is powered by data, and an ode to India’s growing passion for music, transitioning from a recreational experience, to a more integral part of the daily social fabric across user moods and moments. 
 
 <div type="image" title="Wrapped OOH 3" msid="72767346" hostid="261"></div>





 The localised theme of the campaign is designed to build relevance with the local users, who have not experienced Spotify Wrapped, but have been listening to music and podcasts on Spotify since its launch in India earlier this year. ‘‘Spotify Wrapped is unlike any other campaign, and is designed to celebrate the user’s intimate relationship with music. Born through data and powered by the user’s innate passion to explore music, the campaign at its core reflects our value in audio discovery and how we are bringing alive newer music journeys and sounds everyday. “Well played” is a commonly used phrase between friends and family in conversations, and we used it to create relatability to what the Wrapped campaign stands for. Right from users to artists, we’ve seen the sharing of Wrapped cards kick off, and hope that this campaign drives more consumption and sharing,” said Neha Ahuja, Head of Marketing at <keyword id="6118216" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Spotify-India">Spotify India</keyword>. 
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="spotifyindia" handlename="Spotify India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1085180566880673793/bzcQNnFJ_normal.jpg" favoritecount="15" retweetcount="0" status="At least there are no aunties at the traffic signal asking when you're getting married. Well played, India. Have yo… https://t.co/mGUCdUpegQ" createdat="1576471302000" id="1206434202402480128"></div>





 The ‘Well Played India’ campaign specifically highlights four key moments of the year and what Spotify users listened to the most, during these moments. Right from ‘Diwali cooking’ to ‘post Diwali workout’, and from the ‘wedding season’ to the ‘traffic’ season that comes along with the weddings, the brand campaign depicts how every situation was accompanied by music. The campaign features two TVCs, 25 digital creatives across online and social media platforms, and 15 OOH creatives highlighting culturally relevant audio trends, through the end of the year. 
 
 <div type="image" title="Wrapped OOH 2" msid="72767457" hostid="261"></div>

Spotify gives a sneak-peek into what music Indians played and loved the most in 2019

<ul><li><keyword id="100644" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-crime">Delhi Crime</keyword>, <keyword id="7686959" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="four-more-shots-please">Four More Shots Please</keyword> and Made in Heaven actor <keyword id="81317" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arjun-Mathur">Arjun Mathur</keyword> are among the nominees for International Emmy 2020. </li><li>Netflix’s original series, Delhi Crime — featuring Shefali Shah and Rasika Dugal is a recreation of events that happened before and after the horrific ‘Nirbhaya' gang rape in December 2012. </li><li>The other Emmy nominee Four More Shots Please is about four best friends who make radical choices in love, career and friendship.</li></ul>Two Indian series — Delhi Crime and Four More Shots Please — have been nominated for <keyword id="9993920" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-emmy-award-2020">International Emmy Award 2020</keyword> in best drama and best comedy series category. Emmy International <a href="https://www.iemmys.tv/2020-international-emmy-awards-nominees-announced/">has also nominated</a> Bollywood actor, Arjun Mathur, for his role in Amazon Prime’s Made in Heaven series. Emmy nominee Delhi Crime Netflix’s original series, Delhi Crime — featuring Shefali Shah, Rasika Dugal is a recreation of events that happened before and after the horrific ‘<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-51969961">Nirbhaya' gang rape</a> in December 2012. The seven-episode series portrays the intense police investigation followed by trauma and the horrific aftermath of a crime that shook the conscience of the nation. Even as the show is <a href="https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/bollywood-features/how-delhi-crime-gave-audiences-a-chance-to-reimagine-the-police-force/">criticised for praising</a> the police too much, it gives a realistic picture of Indian police and their investigations. Along with Delhi Crime, Netflix’s Criminal UK, Charité 2 Season 2, and HBO’s El Jardín de Bronce (The Bronze Garden) Season 2 are also nominated in the best drama category. Emmy nominee Four More Shots Please Amazon Prime’s Four More Shots Please has been nominated among Ninguém tá Olhando (Nobody’s Looking), Fifty and Back to Life in the best comedy category. Four More Shots Please is about four best friends — a lawyer, a fitness expert, a journalist, and a millennial with mommy issues — who make radical choices in love, career and friendship. Emmy nominee Arjun Mathur in Made in Heaven Yet another Amazon Prime show that caught Emmy’s attention was Made in Heaven. The jury nominated Arjun Mathur for playing Karan Mehra — a sophisticated wedding planner from Delhi. Mehra’s story is that everybody knows he’s gay but his parents. He tries not to hurt his parents by following the stereotypes and marrying a young girl. Along with Mathur, Billy Barratt in Responsible Child, Guido Caprino in 1994, and Raphael Logam in Impuros (Impure) Season 2 have also been nominated for Emmy award in the best performance by an actor category. Last year, three Indian dramas — Sacred Games Season 2, The Lust Stories and The Remix — were nominated for the<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/emmy-awards-nomination-for-sacred-games-lust-stories-and-radhika-apte/articleshow/71207985.cms"> International Emmy Awards 2019</a> However, none won in their respective categories. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/google-facebook-twitter-whatsapp-and-222-other-android-apps-were-targeted-by-a-new-trojan-malware-found-stealing-user-credentials/articleshow/78296409.cms">Google, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and 222 other Android apps were targeted by a new Trojan malware found stealing user credentials</a><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/harley-davidson-exits-india-as-a-part-of-its-restructuring-plan/articleshow/78296191.cms?upcache=2">Harley-Davidson exits India as a part of its restructuring plan for the next five years</a>

Delhi Crime, Four More Shots Please and Made in Heaven actor Arjun Mathur nominated for Emmy awards 2020

New Delhi, Feb 20 () Gold prices on Thursday rose by Rs 111 to Rs 42,492 per 10 gram in the national capital on weak rupee, according to HDFC Securities. The yellow metal had closed at Rs 42,381 per 10 gram in the previous trading session. However, silver prices fell Rs 67 to Rs 48,599 per kg from Rs 48,666 per kg on Wednesday. "Spot gold for 24 karat in Delhi continued upside, gaining Rs 111 on weaker rupee catching overnight gains in dollar index. The spot rupee was trading around 5 paise weaker against the dollar after falling 23 paise in the opening trade," HDFC Securities Senior Analyst (Commodities) Tapan Patel said. Besides, strong demand due to wedding season pushed gold spot prices higher, he added. In the international market, both gold and silver were trading lower at USD 1,609.60 per ounce and USD 18.26 per ounce, respectively. RVK SHWSHW

Gold prices rise Rs 111 on weak rupee, silver falls Rs 67

It’s that time of the year again. The bells are ringing and the <keyword id="6358814" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wedding">wedding</keyword> industry is prepped up to rake in the moolah. But before you pour out your life’s saving in celebrating the best day of your life, here are a few basic money tips that may help you plan your big day within your budget. . 
	 
	Hire a wedding planner 
	 
	No, we aren’t talking of Marion St. Claire of the 2009 flick <keyword id="38822" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bride-wars">Bride Wars</keyword>. But we are definitely talking about Shaadi Mubarak from the 2010 hit Band Baja Baraat. Remember, how they manage to pull off a lovely wedding on their own with a very limited budget. There are several upcoming wedding planners, who are ready to give you the best within your budget. These people know the best caterers, the best decorators and most importantly, the best deals that would give you exactly what you want within your budget. So, open up to the idea of a wedding planner and you will excuse yourself from running around in the city looking for the best bargains. 
	 
	Explore city outskirts 
	 
	Venue is an extremely important part of the wedding. We all want to have a lavish wedding with some great interiors but we need to remember that they cost a few good grand if they are within the city. Banquets halls and hotels within the main city offer limited space coupled with a major parking problem. Explore farm houses that are on the outskirts of the city. They are spacious, can house several outstation guests and in fact, can be quite a change from the city’s hustle bustle. Besides, farm houses that are on the city’s borders are generally available at a much cheaper price than their counterpart in the city. 
	 
	Go for local bijouterie 
	 
	It is best to plan in advance and do most of the jewellery shopping. But if you have been doubtful about your wedding plans before, then it is best to check out small jewellery stores first. Every city has plethora of small jewelers, who offer great designs at a much lower price vis-à-vis the big brands. They not only offer you great designs but also have lower making charges which can save a good few thousands. Also, one can try some of the established online jewellery retailers such as Caratlane.com, Bluestone.com among others. The designs available are good and the prices are ridiculously lower than that of brick and mortar retailers. 
	 
	Offer healthy gourmet 
	 
	Let’s admit that Indians love food! Thus, this makes catering an extremely important part of the wedding ceremony. And it would be a task if you aren’t planning to get a wedding planner on board. So, while deciding on the menu, ensure you have a lot of seasonal vegetables which are easily available. Dishes that have vegetables in their off season are a great risk as they are not just exorbitantly priced but are also not fresh and healthy. Besides, storing such vegetables is also an expensive affair. 
	 
	Do your couture shopping smartly 
	 
	We all love to dress up in designer dresses. But rather than spending a fortune on designer dresses, explore the city and look for places that offer similar designs at a much lower price. For instance, Chandni Chowk in Delhi has stores that offer the latest fashion in bridal couture at a very affordable price. So, explore the city and check out these stores and who knows, you may just end up buying something even better than what just walked the ramp! 
	 
	Check out for coupons 
	 
	We all want to look our best on our wedding day and so probably shell out a lot in the salons. But before you grab your purse and run to the nearest parlour for the bridal routine, wait and check out all the websites that offer coupons on wedding make-up. Websites such as couponduniya.com and Groupon.com, have a plethora of coupons that offer packages for bridal make-up as well as a couple of other beauty regimes in some popular salons at very reasonable prices. 
	 
	Brief your photographer properly 
	 
	Pictures remain with us forever even after the event is long over. So before you hire a photographer to go click click on your wedding day, understand how you would want your wedding pictures to come out. There are various photographers who exclusively shoot weddings. You can hire one of the wedding photographers but if they are a little over your budget, hire local photographers to do the job. These wedding photographers have their own websites that display their work so you can idea on how to shoot the wedding and can ask your photographer to shoot accordingly.

7 Smart Ways To Prepare For Your 7 Vows

New Delhi, Feb 19 () Gold prices on Wednesday jumped Rs 462 to Rs 42,339 per 10 grams in the national capital on positive global cues, according to HDFC Securities. Silver prices also surged Rs 1,047 to Rs 48,652 per kg, from Rs 47,605 per kg on Tuesday. The yellow metal had closed at Rs 41,877 per 10 grams in the previous trading session. "Spot gold of 24 karat in Delhi crossed the Rs 42,000 mark, gaining Rs 462 with strong international prices. The strong demand from wedding season and rally in global gold prices pushed spot prices higher for the day," HDFC Securities Senior Analyst (Commodities) Tapan Patel said. Besides, gold also witnessed safe-haven buying after Apple Inc warned of missing its revenue forecast in the March 2020 quarter due to the coronavirus outbreak, Patel said. In the international market, both gold and silver were trading higher at USD 1,606.60 per ounce and USD 18.32 per ounce, respectively. RVK HRS

Gold jumps Rs 462 on global cues, silver soars Rs 1,047

New Delhi, Jan 4 () Tata Group firm Titan Company on Saturday said its sales in December were hit due to protests in the North East and other parts of the country.
"Sales in all divisions in the second half of December were also impacted to some extent due to forced store closures due to the protests in the North East and in
many other parts of the country," the company said in a filing to the BSE.
 Thousands of people held protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in various parts of the country.
The general economic slowdown in the economy leading to poor consumer sentiment and lower walk-ins has been a concern for the last few quarters, it said.
The company experienced different consumer responses in each of its divisions.
Retail sales in jewellery were better than expected at the beginning of the third quarter of FY'20, possibly due to a good wedding season and reasonable inelasticity of wedding jewellery, but growth in watches and eyewear were difficult to come by. 
In the jewellery segment, the company itself did better and market share gains were evident, the company statement said. 
"The division met its revised expectations for the quarter. While the revenue growth for quarter is 11 per cent, the retail growth was actually much better at 15 per cent," it said.
In the watch and wearables division, the growth for third quarter was flat compared to previous year. 
After witnessing two strong quarters, the eye wear division revenue grew by only two per cent, primarily led by heavy competitive activity, lower primary sales to trade channels and the disruption in the second half of december due to the nation-wide protests. SID MKJ

Titan says December 'sales in all divisions' hit by protests in various parts of country

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The price of lemons spiked across India this summer after one of the hottest seasons in decades.</li><li>That led to lemon<a href="https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2022/apr/14/robbers-make-away-with-a-huge-quantityof-lemons-in-up-districts-2442057.html"> robberies</a> and lemons being given as wedding<a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/current-affairs-trends/gujarat-groom-receives-lemons-as-gifts-as-prices-soar-in-summer-8371891.html"> gifts</a>.</li><li>Prices are easing now, but the hike has changed how people cook and do business.</li></ul>MUMBAI, India — Chandrashekhar Vallahburai Devender, the owner of a lemonade stand in Mumbai, has been selling lemonade for 12 years now and said he's "never seen the prices of lemons jump so high."The price of the citrus fruit <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/skyrocketing-lemon-prices-squeeze-kitchen-budget/articleshow/90886961.cms">soared</a> in India's summer months of April to June, thanks to the combination of a poor harvest — due to an unusually rainy winter and hot summer — and the global rise in gas prices, which bumped up transportation costs.Lemons are a mainstay of Indian cuisine. But this summer, the fruit was considered a luxury in the country, so much so that there were lemon <a href="https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2022/apr/14/robbers-make-away-with-a-huge-quantityof-lemons-in-up-districts-2442057.html">robberies</a>, and lemons were given as wedding <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/current-affairs-trends/gujarat-groom-receives-lemons-as-gifts-as-prices-soar-in-summer-8371891.html">gifts</a>. The humble lemonade became a drink of the elite.Lemon and lemonade sellers in Mumbai markets said they could buy between five and seven lemons for 10 Indian rupee, or about $0.13, in 2021. But for the past few months, shoppers struggled get one lemon for that price.Devender said he was earning up to 1,500 INR, or about $19, a day last year, but his income has been cut in half.He has had to expand his business to a second stall selling buttermilk and tea to try to make up the difference. Because of that investment, "making profits and saving money won't be possible this year," he said.Sanjay Sonawane, a 43-year-old lemon vendor in Mumbai, would sell 7-to-10 kilos of lemons a day in an ordinary summer. "This summer, I struggled to sell 5 kilos a day. Most customers would ask the price and walk away."He has had to take out a loan to stay afloat, "and I haven't been able to pay it back yet," he said, adding that borrowing money has always been his last resort. <h2>An extraordinary season</h2>Alankrita Goswami, an agricultural economist, said the price hike was caused by several factors: high rainfall in the winter, which delayed lemon production in some states by several months, and "unusually high temperatures in early 2022," which meant fewer and lower-quality lemons were grown.<div type="image" title="Street vendors under their umbrellas at local market." height="1667" width="2500" msid="93280031" hostid="261"></div>Only 5% of the normal crop of lemons arrived this summer, according to the <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/lemon-prices-remain-high-across-gujarat-as-supply-falls-short-of-demand-7868563/">Agriculture Produce Market Committees.</a>"With all this on one side, we also had the spike in fuel and gas prices. That affected transportation cost as well," Goswami said.<h2>India's love of lemons</h2>"Lemons and Indian cooking go way back," said the Delhi-based food blogger Chaitali Aggarwal."Our grandmothers have been making jars and jars of lemon pickles for years and we've been finishing all our dishes with this citrusy goodness," she said, pointing out that lemon is a rich source of vitamin C. "I love a salad with every meal I have, which is always incomplete without a fresh lemon-juice dressing." The summer heat in her home city of Delhi makes customers rush for homemade lemonades, lemon iced teas, and lemon-infused fresh water, which all require "massive amounts of lemon juice," Aggarwal said.Some in the country believe that lemons ward off bad luck. You can often find a lemon with seven chilis outside Hindu homes or tied onto cars.<div type="image" title="A group of lemons and corn on a basket." height="1667" width="2500" msid="93280033" hostid="261"></div>Aggarwal said that the price hike means her friends and family, who used to buy lemons in large quantities, have started buying fewer and using them sparingly."It simply made a very basic, everyday produce very premium," she said.<h2>Ripple effects</h2>The price rise has changed the way lemons are used in India, in turn affecting nutrition levels and businesses.At restaurants and bars in some areas of Mumbai over the summer, lemon was not served as it usually is alongside onion slices and salad. "Until last year, we'd give two halves of lemon with one single plate of pav bhaji," or mashed-potato curry with bread, said Savita Bhalerao, a 39-year-old street-food vendor in Mumbai. "Now I buy five lemons a day and I cut one lemon into four pieces."In April, when lemon prices peaked, she stopped serving lemons completely. "We told our customers that we had already sprinkled lemon and we'd use a drop of vinegar to add that tangy taste instead," she said.Aggarwal said vinegar is being substituted for lemon in home cooking as well, "which, needless to say, will be nothing like fresh lemon juice and won't have the health benefits of fresh lemons."<h2>Threatening a way of life</h2>Lemons are just one part of the overall food crisis for India and the world. Many food items have become more expensive in the country, pushed by rising fuel prices and supply-chain issues.From February to April, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation reported that food prices rose 7.3% on average. The consumer price index reached 7.8% in April and dropped a bit, to about <a href="https://www.mospi.gov.in/documents/213904/416359//CPI%20Press%20Release%20May%2020221655121816724.pdf/d8a4ef4f-fbad-6015-8597-9dbc8d40fbed">7%,</a> in May."The impending food crisis is downright petrifying," Aggarwal said. "Food now is a source of joy and a way of life, and the impending food crisis threatens it all."Monsoon season — the rainy period from June to September — has now started and lemon prices have started to fall, partly due to a new harvest cycle beginning. There are three lemon <a href="https://newsonair.com/2022/04/21/is-climate-change-to-be-blamed-for-growing-lemon-prices/#:~:text=Lemon%20season%20in%20India,the%20harvest%20happens%20in%20October.">seasons</a> a year in India.But Goswami doesn't expect the cost of lemons to get back to normal until sometime between October and December, assuming production returns to its usual rate.While consumers may have some respite as prices drop, those in the lemon business may never recover.Devender said he doesn't want his children to follow him into the family lemonade business now. "I want my kids to break the tradition, pass out of school, and have a stable income source," he said."I don't want them to go through what I have been through."

You Searched For "wedding season in Delhi" and got 11 results

Upcoming wedding season likely to generate Rs 4.7 lakh cr business in India : CAIT

PTI

Traders prep for a Dec wedding bonanza with estimated 32 lakh weddings worth Rs 3.75 lak crore

IANS

Gold jumps Rs 400 on wedding season demand

PTI

India’s Supreme Court wants the Delhi government to crack down on big, fat Indian weddings to curb food wastage — and a policy could be in place by next month

BI India Bureau

Spotify gives a sneak-peek into what music Indians played and loved the most in 2019

BI India Partner

Delhi Crime, Four More Shots Please and Made in Heaven actor Arjun Mathur nominated for Emmy awards 2020

BI India Bureau

Gold prices rise Rs 111 on weak rupee, silver falls Rs 67

PTI

7 Smart Ways To Prepare For Your 7 Vows

Purba Das

Gold jumps Rs 462 on global cues, silver soars Rs 1,047

PTI

Titan says December 'sales in all divisions' hit by protests in various parts of country

PTI

Lemon prices soared so much in India this summer they were given as wedding gifts and lemonade was seen as an 'elite' drink

Karuna Sharma

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides