Mir Farhat
SRINAGAR, Oct 15: Even as the Valley markets saw huge rush of people on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha, traders are underwhelmed with the market buzz as shoppers purchase limited items because of inflation and higher rates.
“Although customers throng the market, yet our sales are lower than previous year because of higher rates, and rising inflation. I have sold items that will hardly make my day. Our sales have dipped about 40 per cent this Eid,” said Tariq Ahmad, a Garment seller in busy Goni Khan Market.
Tariq said customers are purchasing items, but they keep their pockets tight, preferring shopping of low cost goods.
Traders and shopkeepers, though, had adorned the markets with sparkling buntings and attractive hoardings displaying Eid greetings to woo customers, but that has not impressed customers.
Bakers, Confectioners, however, witnessed customers and said they had a decent sale on the eve of Eid.
“But, customers were very choosy in purchasing bakery and sweets. It seems rising prices have them their pockets cut to size,” said Zahid Amin, a salesman at a bakery shop in Lal Chowk.
Hundreds of new makeshift stall have been installed in the city to sell goods from sweets to casual wear, which chocked almost all the major roads of the city.
Traffic police had a tough time in regulating the flow of vehicles. Hawkers were shouting to attract buyers, but they couldn’t woo the shoppers and have little sales in what is considered to be a profitable time for business community.
Says a buyer, Tanveer Hussain: “There is nothing wrong with having new stuff on Eid day, however, there should be limits in getting them.”
Mutton dealers also voiced similar tones as they too saw their sales go down sizably this Eid. “The price of meat has gone up from the last year, and that hit our trade, though marginally,” said Rafiq Ahmad, a mutton retailer at Maharaja Bazaar.
Besides, sheep, goat, mutton dealers have brought camels from, Jammu, Gujarat and Rajasthan to Kashmir which are being sold to woo buyers.
“I have so far sold eight camels which fetched a good price. One of the customers willingly paid extra money for one of the camels,” Ghulam Mohammad, a mutton dealer said.
Since this Eid is celebrated by sacrificing animals, so the mutton dealers bought additional stock of animals to meet the demand.
“Kashmir imports 75 percent of mutton from other States to meet the local demand on average days. In view of Eid-ul-Azha we brought more stock, but customers remained tight pocketed. Those who would take three sacrificial animals bought only two this Eid as rates have gone higher,” says Ahmad, who is also a mutton dealer.
Eidgah in downtown Srinagar has also seen people thronging it to purchase sacrificial animals, however, they said higher prices are affecting their purchases. “Our sales this year have not been that high as previous year. I have sold only three sheep for whole day as higher prices inhibit people from buying,” said Javiad Ahmad, a trader from Khanyar.
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