Sale of dry fruits remains low due to high prices

The sale of dry fruits remains sluggish during the current winter season due to high prices which made it beyond the reach of the common man. The winter is the peak season for dry fruit sellers and around 70 percent of the annual sale happens during winter season, shopkeepers clamed. There is a continuous increase in the prices of dry fruits, said a customer.
The prices of all kinds of dry fruits remained high in the wholesale markets of the city during the ongoing winter season. Every year during the winter season, consumers flock in a large number to wholesale and retail markets to make their desired purchases of dry fruits to browbeat the cold season, but this year the buying activities at wholesale and retail markets were extremely low.
Dry fruits are mainly imported from Afghanistan, Iran, the USA and India while substantial variety is also grown locally. Traders also attribute the rise in prices to slow growth in imports and low production in the country and costlier imports.
Already overburdened by the unprecedented increase in prices of essential commodities during the last few years, customers have declined more than 30 to 40 percent as compared with previous winter seasons when the local currency was comparatively stable against the dollar, said the dealers. During a visit to some of the markets of the dry fruits it was revealed that demand of most of the dry fruits has plunged sharply during the current winter season on account of inflated their prices.
Despite sluggish sale the most favourites and popular dry fruit thus remains the peanut. Vendors serving hot peanuts roasted in sand are the charm of the winter in the city. Late night gatherings of friends and family are not complete without peanuts. The medical experts say these dry fruits contain great amount of energy.
According to the rates of dry fruits collected from different markets in the city the price of one kilogram of dry apricot (Khubani) is Rs 589; 1000 gram of 'Ajwa khajoor' Rs 3,000; 250 grams of American walnut without shell (Maghaz Akhrot) is Rs 475; 500 grams of 'Kishmish/Meva' is Rs 525; 500 grams of 'Kaaju' Rs 1,550; 250 grams of American almond Rs 500; 500 gram of Malka almond is Rs 999; 500 gram of 'Anjeer' Rs 990; one kilogram of walnuts (shells) Rs880; one kilogram of Plain Cashew is Rs 2,500 and one kilogram of Sundarkhani raisin Abjosh is Rs 875.