Local sports markets are likely to face an acute shortage of cricket-related sports items by around 60 percent during the forthcoming cricket world cup.
Sports market analysts told Business Recorder on Thursday, that cricket craze would dominate the sales of cricket items in the country, which could result in a serious shortage in the local markets of the metropolis.
Similarly, the prices of ordinary sports items are also expected to soar by at least 40 percent due to increasing demand, which is estimated around 70 percent in the city alone, they pointed out. The cricket (tennis) bat is available in the market in the range of Rs 130 to Rs 160, which will likely be sold in the range of Rs 182 to Rs 224 during the mega cricket event to be held in the Caribbean region.
Sialkot is the sole leading producer of sports items in the country, could face serious challenges during the February-March to meet the increasing local demand. During the big sports event, sales increases by 100 percent across the country, particularly in country's big cities.
The Lighthouse sports item vendors apprised that after the advent of fibre hockey, cricket bats had also been introduced which were handier than the wooden ones. "They are light to lift and play with, durable and dent-free, however, more expensive than wooden," they elaborated.
Fibre bat is being sold in the range of Rs 300 to Rs 450, which may not fall short in supply to the market, they said and added that sportsmen are yet to know of this kind of bat had been introduced in the market. "People around 70 percent are still unaware of such innovation had taken place in the market, therefore, its sale is also lower, just at 20 percent till now," they observed.
They said those would prefer buying fibre bats who could afford it, while the rest would go for wooden ones. Regarding colourful cricket kits, they said that the sale of ordinary kits would be at around 70 percent during the cricket world cup with increasing prices ranging between Rs 180 to Rs 300. "Sportsmen will buy colourful kits of their favourite cricket teams playing in the tournament," they said.
Sales of the hardball cricket items including bat, pads, gloves, stumps, bells, helmet, and kit are expected to register an increase by 50 percent during the event. The ordinary hardball cricket bat is in the range of Rs 500 to Rs 2,500, pads in the range of Rs 400 to Rs 800, they added.
However, presently the sale of over all sports items are witnessing an intense decline due to nearing month of Muharram, vendors added. They said every year on the arrival of Muharram sale of sports item declined. The other reason they pointed out was the Muharram rituals performed in the playing grounds, which also restricts sportsmen to buy during such period, they added. Nonetheless, a boom in the sale of sports items particularly cricket ones is expected soon after the Muharram.
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