KARACHI: Traders have expressed mixed views about sales of refrigerators and deep freezers ahead of Eidul Azha.

They said they were experiencing higher sales than normal days but the sales were not as much as they had witnessed last year ahead of Eidul Azha.

The traders added that consumers had not shown much interest in buying cooling gadgets though their prices were reduced by Rs1,000-2,000 per unit by manufacturers.

They said a number of consumers had bought fridge and deep freezers in Ramazan which might have been one of the reasons for sluggish sales.

Some traders in Aisha Manzil (F.B. Area) were cautioning the consumers of possible price hike one or two days before Eid. However, most of the traders at the Aisha Manzil market said the sales were going flat as compared to last year.

They said they are clearing the stocks at wholesale rates in view of thin presence of buyers.

Traders in Regal (Saddar) and at Abdullah Haroon Road expressed surprise over slowdown in sales, saying they were waiting for buyers.

Sale of sacrificial animals

Thunderstorms with heavy rains on August 21 and 22 had wreaked havoc on the cattle market off the Superhighway and people thronged it from Aug 24 onwards.  

The prices of sacrificial animals are higher than last year despite steady arrivals from upcountry. Meat retailers have already jacked up prices of beef and mutton by Rs20-50 per kg during Ramazan whose impact can be felt on the soaring prices of sacrificial animals.

Merchants said the media was abuzz with reports of more heavy rains and thunderstorms in the next one or two days, which would further hit the sales of animals as well as home appliances.

They were, however, hopeful of some improvement in sales of animals as well as fridge and deep freezers in the current week as the people employed in public and private sectors would get their salaries in advance.

Karachi Electronic Dealers Association (KEDA) president Mohammad Rizwan, without giving any cogent reason, said sales were not satisfactory as consumers had not shown enthusiasm this year. “Sales are down by 40-50 per cent [compared to] last year but have increased by 20-25 per cent as compared to normal days.” The markets had enough stocks and there was no shortage of home appliances, he said adding that Tuesday’s rain has further hit the sales.  

The spokesperson for the country’s biggest cattle market off the Superhighway, Naveed Baig, said so far 210,000 cows and buffaloes, 50,000 goats and 2,200 camels had arrived which was more or less the same as last year.

He said one price category of cows and buffaloes hovers between Rs 50,000-150,000 followed by another of Rs 100,000-300,000 and third is over Rs 300,000 price. However, animals carrying Rs50,000-150,000 are in higher demand.

Naveed said people looked more interested in goats carrying price of Rs 20,000-30,000.

According to figures of LSM, production of refrigerators went up to 1.812 million units in 2016-2017 from 1.477m units in 2015-16. Deep freezer production rose to 127,087 units in 2016-2017 from 102,382 units in 2015-2016.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2017