NT NETWORK
PANAJI
There is 15-20 per cent increase in the prices of decorative, lighting and crib items being sold for Christmas, and as such the rush the markets used to witness in the past is missing.
“There has been a sharp rise in the prices of decorative items, lighting items, stars, sky lamps, Xmas trees, crib items,” said a shopkeeper while a random survey was being conducted by this daily to know the market pulse ahead of the Christmas celebration in the
city.
Girish Pinge, who is engaged in selling crib items in the municipal market said that “there is a rise of nearly 15 to 20 per cent in rates of crib items as compared to the last year, but many are selling the items at concessional rates to attract the last-minute customers. This year, due to less cash in the hands of the public, the sale has been not what it used to be in the past.”
Smaller cribs are being sold for Rs 280-Rs 500 while bigger cribs are being sold for Rs 1,300, Rs 1,400, Rs 4,000 and Rs 7000, he informed.
While Muralidhar Dessai, a wholesaler and retailer, pointed out that wholesale rates have increased tremendously, and added that price of each item – simple items to durable like Xmas trees, has been up by Rs 10 to Rs 100.
A big size Christmas tree costs Rs 7,800, he added.
Sky lamps are being sold for Rs 100 and Rs 200, Xmas stars are available in the price range of Rs 20-60, decorative streamers being sold in the Rs 50-Rs 140 range, Xmas balls for Rs 40 while crib sets are being sold for Rs 320-Rs 1,500 depending upon the size, he said and added that people are avoiding to buy in large quantities due to the cost factor.
While Bali and Babajan Shaikh said that the business has been low, and added that demonetisation has killed vigour and enthusiasm of the people celebrating the festival in the state.
“But we cannot stay put as this is the time like Diwali to earn some profit,” said Babajan and added that “in order to maintain trader-customer relation, we have slashed rates. What would we do if there are no customers. We are offering some concession on the sale of some items.”
Dinesh Sharma, dealing in electrical and electronics lighting items besides home appliances, informed that this year, festive items are selling dead slow and even the profit margin is wafer thin.
