In pictures | Tbilisi’s lemon vendors — the hardships of selling lemons to survive

• 1 min read

▲Small kiosks also sell lemons along with other goods. ‘These ones have been hanging here for two weeks’, the owner said. (Tamuna Chkareuli / OC Media)

Selling lemons in the streets at ₾1 ($0.38) for a bag of 5, Tbilisi’s lemon vendors — almost exclusively elderly women — struggle to scrape out a living.

Tina Giguashvili, 69, stands with her hands up, a bag of lemons hanging from each finger. Since December, she’s been selling lemons every other day near the Okriba bus station in Tbilisi. For women like her, the fragrant, West Georgian citrus is not only a healthy fruit but a means of survival.

Tina Giguashvili stands at the passage entrance, hoping to be noticed. (Tamuna Chkareuli / OC Media)

Vendors frequently set up small stands at the metro entrances at the ends of the metro lines. (Tamuna Chkareuli / OC Media)

Tamuna Chkareuli •

30 articles•0 Followers

Tamuna is a freelance journalist and a professional photographer. With a keen interest in social issues, she focuses on labour rights and disability and gender-related problems.

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