Food items’ sales increase manifold: Sugar, milk and pulses in great demand
By Aamir Shafaat Khan
KARACHI, Feb 4: As the sales of various commodities surge by 10-100 per cent during Muharram, meat sellers appear depressed due to the thin presence of buyers whose deep freezers and refrigerators are still packed with meat that they stored at Eidul Azha.
It has been noticed that meat sales usually rise by 10-20 per cent every year during Muharram, but this year it seems that the people who observe 10 days of Muharram with religious fervour, have enough stocks. Meat merchants in Saddar area said that buyers do not usually turn up after Eidul Azha and sales mainly remained low for at least a month or more.
General Secretary Meat Merchants Welfare Association (MMWA), Iqbal Qureishi says that daily sales have bottomed out to hardly 25 per cent of total normal consumption. “Hardly, 1,000 cows, buffalos, and oxen are being slaughtered daily in Karachi after Eid as compared to nearly 3,000 in normal days,” he said.
A few years back, the demand of meat used to rise by 50 per cent during first ten days of Muharram, but with the meteoric rise in prices in the last few years, people probably, cannot afford it to be liberal when it comes to spending on meat. They are not making ‘Haleem’ at a scale that they used to do earlier. Now many people prefer to arrange chicken Qorma (curry) or Biryani to cut on meat costs.
For other commodities, consumers are now paying Rs38 per kg to buy sugar as compared to Rs35-36 per kg two days back, while the wholesale price has reached Rs36.50 per kg.
“ The sale of sugar surges by 50 per cent in Muharram,” general secretary, Karachi Retail Grocers Group (KRGG), Farid Qurieshi said adding that the government has, still not been able to control the situation.
He said in Muharram sale of pulses rise by 30 per cent followed by increase in wheat sales by 25 per cent, rice by 10 per cent, juices and squashes by 25 per cent, dry fruits by 10 per cent, spices by 10 per cent and suji/maida by 25 per cent.
During first 10 days, especially from 7th to 10th of Muharram, fresh milk becomes a hot commodity but there appears a stark contrast in statements of dairy farmers and retailers about its actual demand and sales during the month.
General Secretary Dairy Farmers Association, Dr Rafiq Babar thinks that milk sales go up by 20 per cent and it further rises on the 9th and 10th of Muharram.
He says that the Karachites consume 4-4.8 million litres a day. On an average, a buffalo gives eight litre of milk daily, out of 600,000 animals in the city.
Vice President All Karachi Milk Retailers Association (AKMRA), Haji Mohammad Fayaz says that consumption of milk rises by 100 per cent in Muharram. He says in the open market the rate of fresh milk has surged to Rs1,400-1,600 per maund from Rs800 but at retail stage - the prices have been kept at Rs28 a litre.
However, he said milk prices are likely to be increased to Rs30 a litre from March 1, 2006 as dairy farmers are reported to have planned the move.
“The majority of people buy extra milk, especially on 9th and 10th of Muharram as compared to their daily local consumption,” he said adding that during these days the demand actually out pass supply and consumers generally do not find fresh milk in the evening at retail shops. Milk is a main item, being heavily used in making sweet drinks.
“A buyer, who usually buys two litres a day, purchases 4-5 litres these days, while a regular customer of half litre milk increases its limit to one litre in Muharram,” a retailer said. “No matter what is the rate of the milk, people buy it as per their capacity in Muharram,” he added.
Like all other religious occasions, Muharram has also its economic significance. In Pakistan every religious event is observed with religious fervour which gives a boost to economic activities, charged by consumers’ buying sentiments. Muharram, too, though a month of mourning, impacts the market.
A large number of people belonging to both sects (Sunni and Shia) distribute Haleem, Kichrha and Sharbat (sweet drink) amongst the poor, and the relatives and neighbours. Besides, many people arrange ‘Nazr’ and ‘Niaz’ by distributing Biryani and Qorma with Sheermal, Taftan or Nan (bread). A large number of people set up ‘Sabeels’ in their areas where Sharbat (drink) is served.
A resident of F.B. Area, Kalbe Ali, says that a middle class shia family spends Rs10,000-20,000 during the two months of mourning. A large chunk of spending goes to nazr and niaz or on a religious gathering (Majlis). Out of Rs10,000-20,000 a portion is spent on dressing but a bigger chunk is spent on arrangements for majlis and food. Besides, transport expenses are also more during this month than an ordinary month.
However, in upper class the Muharram budget can range between Rs50,000-100,000, while there is no limit of spending for the elite.
Kalbe says that the lower class manages to spend at least Rs5,000. “We spend more in Muharram than on Eid ul Azha,” he added.
The demand for Taftan, Sheermal and nan also goes up. Market experts say that demand for these items pick up by over 50 per cent in Muharram or may be over 70 per cent on 9th and 10th of Muharram.
Caterers, who do not have any orders for marriage dinner parties in Muharram, continue their business activities by getting orders for Haleem, Kichrha, Biryani and Qorma. Some Haleem shop owners in various areas are offering discount to customers who give orders for 30 kg of Haleem or Kichrha.
It has been noticed that people start procuring items from the first of Muharram and buying picks up as Ashura, the 10th of Muharram, draws closer. Buying of commodities gathers momentum from 7th of Muharram.
Clever Wholesalers, retailers, shopkeepers and market forces fully exploit the situation and cash the opportunity by making windfall from the consumers by demanding higher prices without assigning any reason.
The retailers know that the consumers will throng the markets despite knowing that they will be fleeced by the retailers by demanding higher price in Muharram.
Many shop owners offer package of Haleem and Kichrha ingredients at discount rates but there is not guarantee about the quality.
At a time when inflation is going up — market experts say that many people, hit by liquidity crunch, now prefer to five ‘Niaz’ and ‘Nazr’ in a small way, instead of making huge purchases of ingredients for Haleem because of rising prices.
‘Mithai’ (Sweets) also becomes a most running item for ‘Nazr’ and ‘Niaz’ distribution in case one cannot afford the cost of making Haleem, Biryani etc in larger quantities. The demand for mithai also goes up by 10-30 per cent in Muharram depending on the locality as compared to normal days.
