Why a glass of orange juice costs ₹120

A glass of Nagpur orange juice costs ₹120 at our counter. A roadside cart may charge ₹50 for something that looks similar. We are asked about this every week, so here is the arithmetic.

A 350 ml glass of pure pressed orange juice needs between five and seven oranges, depending on the size and season. In winter, when Nagpur oranges are at their best, good fruit costs us about ₹70 to ₹90 a kilo at the Rythu Bazaar. One glass uses about 1.1 kg, so the fruit alone costs ₹80 to ₹95. We also discard any fruit that is dry or sour, about one crate in ten. Some stalls stretch the juice with water, sugar syrup and ice, which is how they reach ₹50.

After the fruit come the rest. Our shop on Beach Road, the electricity for the press and the fridges, the glass and paper straw, cleaning and staff come to about ₹22 a glass. GST adds 5 percent. What remains is a small margin, and on some days in summer, when orange prices climb, almost nothing.

That is why our other juices cost less. Watermelon is cheap and gives a lot of juice, so a glass is ₹90. Sugarcane is cheaper still at ₹60. If you want a fresh glass every day on a budget, those are the better buys. We would rather sell you an honest orange juice at ₹120 than a watered one at half the price.