• The demand is still the same, forcing traders to be getting small ones from the trees.
• Trees are now being destroyed.
• Throughout 2020, lemons never grew big because people were pruning them while they were still small.

Fruit and Vegetable Traders Association of Zambia says the demand for lemons is still high on the market, resulting in the shortage of the citrus fruits in some parts of the country.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Association President Bernard Sikunyongana said due to the high demand, traders have resorted to pruning the fruits from trees even before they reach maturity stage.
Mr. Sikunyongana bemoaned the move which he says is destroying lemon trees, thereby bringing about disruptions in the supply chain.
He noted that throughout 2020, lemons never grew big as a result of people getting them while they were still small and the situation has continued this year.
“The demand is still the same that now it has forced traders to be getting small ones from the trees, before they mature they are just pruning all the trees because the demand is high. ”
“We are now destroying our trees, lemons can’t grow big because when they are small people go round and so they can’t wait for the mature period, so this will continue I can assure you. If you look at the whole year last year, lemons never grew big because people were pruning them while they were still small again this year it has continued. In short we are now destroying our trees,” Mr. Sikunyongana lamented.
The high demand for lemons in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) caused a shortage of the citrus fruits in most towns on the Copperbelt between November and December last year.