The continuing historic spell of heat waves has driven out markets of electronic home appliances mainly used for cooling and controlling humidity. The appliances' prices also posted a 50 percent surge due to hot season in the last three days. For the last four days, Karachi has been experiencing severe heat waves with 40-45 degree Celsius temperature. Unexpected hot weather has raised the demand of the different electronic items including Air-condition, room cooler and mist fans.
After the heat waves, buyers thronged the markets to buy these electronic items mainly used to control the humidity; however they are facing difficulties to procure as stocks of these home appliances are running out due to sudden and massive demand. "Although, the market was already expecting higher demand of ACs, fans, room coolers and mist fans due to summer and Ramadan, the present trend of sale is much higher than our expectations," said Waheed Memon, former president Karachi Electronic Dealers Association (KEDA) and distributor of a leading fan company.
Continuous severe heat waves forced the people to buy AC, room cooler and mist fan for controlling humidity during the month of Ramadan, but the sudden and higher demand has created the shortage of these electronic home appliances in the market, he added. Talking about the prices, Memon said that manufactures and distributors have not raised the prices of any electronic item and prices of most of items have been raised due to higher demand and short supply.
According to market sources, prices of ACs have been increased up to Rs 5,000 per unit. Presently, one ton AC is being sold at Rs 52,000 to Rs 56,000 per unit compared to Rs 45,000 to Rs 48,000 previously. While, labour charges for AC installation also been surged significantly from Rs 800 to Rs 2,000 per unit. Prices of room cooler increased from Rs 7,000-8,000 to Rs 11,000-12,000 per unit and mist fan is being sold at Rs 13,000 as against actual price of Rs 11,000 per unit. In addition, despite sufficient supply normal fan prices have been surged by Rs 200 to Rs 3,700 per unit.
Memon said that after the slight rain in the city, the temperature is likely to down in coming days, accordingly we are expecting demand of these items may be reduced in next two or three days. He said that fridge and deep freezer demand is likely to rise next week as most of equipment's compressors are not working due to hot weather.