Shoppers throng markets to buy dry fruits

Kathmandu, Oct. 17: With the Tihar festival approaching, markets across the country have seen a surge of shoppers purchasing festival necessities, especially dry fruits and worship items. 

In Kathmandu, the popular shopping areas like New Road, Makhan, Indra Chowk, and Asan are drawing crowds of consumers, seeking dry fruits and other items required for the festival of light.

Many people tend to visit these traditional markets believing that goods are cheaper there than elsewhere.

Dry fruits, particularly those packaged as the traditional Bhai Masala—gifts presented by sisters to brothers on Bhai Tika—remain the most sought-after items during the festival. 

However, the rush is not limited to dry fruit shops; stores selling jewelry, garments, and silver utensils have also experienced heavy footfall since Monday.

Not only in the shops of dry fruits, the flow of consumers at other shops, including jewellery, garments, silver utensils, is high since Monday of this week.

Rabindra Tuladhar, a trader from Asan, noted that while the number of visitors has increased, business has not grown as much as anticipated. 

"The crowd is high, but sales have not increased as expected so far. However, we expect the sales of dry fruits to increase in the coming days as Tihar festival begins from Sunday," he said.

According to the traders, consumers mainly bought cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios, raisins, walnuts and other items during this festival. 

The reduction in the purchasing power of people has affected the sales of every item, including dry fruits even during Tihar festival, Tuladhar said. 

"A large number of brothers and sisters have gone abroad, while the number of people leaving Nepal is also increasing every year, which has had a major impact on business. If those who have gone abroad do not return home after completing their education, business in all sectors will collapse," he said.

Meanwhile, gradual increment of prices of all items against income of people has also affected the sales, he said.

Chandra Shekhar Shah, a trader at Indra Chowk, said that business has been growing from Tuesday as the flow of consumers has started to increase in Indra Chowk and other major markets.

According to him, his sales stand at more than Rs. 15,000 daily at present which is more than double the sales of a normal day.

He, however, said that the sales of dry fruits at present even on the eve of Tihar festival is low because this is the main season to consume dry fruits.

"A packet of dry fruits is available in my shops ranging from Rs. 50 to Rs. 550. But, most of the consumers want to purchase a packet around Rs. 200-Rs.250," he said.

Prices on the rise

According to Tuladhar, the price of dry fruits has been increasing for years in the last few years.

"Some years, the price of one item increases significantly, while in other years, the price of another item increases significantly.

This year, the price of pistachio, coconuts, and dates and Makhana has increased significantly while the prices of other items have fluctuated generally. 

Tuladhar said that price of pistachio has increased by Rs. 400 per kg to Rs. 2,400 this year. The price of pistachio was only Rs. 2,000 per kg last year. 

Similarly, the price of Makhana increased to Rs. 2,000 per kg from Rs. 1,200, coconuts to Rs. 700 per kg from Rs. 500 and dates to Rs. 500 per kg from Rs. 400 per kg.

Similarly, cashew nuts are available in the market ranging from Rs. 1,800 to Rs. 2,000 per kg and almonds at Rs. 1,500-Rs. 1,700.

Last year, the price of cashew nuts increased by Rs. 500 per kg to Rs. 2,000 and almond by Rs. 500 per kg to Rs. 1,700.

Likewise, cinnamon costs at Rs. 1,000 per kg, green cardamom at Rs. 6,000 per kg, raisin Rs. 600 per kg and walnuts Rs. 500 per kg.

Normally, consumers buy dry fruits worth around Rs. 2,000 even at increased prices in Tihar festival, he said,

According to him, rich consumers buy dry fruits worth Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000. However, due to the increase in prices, consumers have cut the purchase of cashews, pistachios and almonds by half.