High-priced dry fruits lose out to imported chocolates

 The festive season has begun and the shelves are stocked, but business has been far from good. With a 15 to 20 per cent increase in the prices of dry fruits since last year, sellers are wondering how much business will pick up. Since the past couple of years, the tradition of gifting dry fruits has slowed down. Not only have other options such as mithai and chocolates gained preference, but everyone is also looking for a good bargain, with the money market so tight.

Sellers both at the wholesale and retail markets find that dry fruits are not quite the flavour of the season. Chocolates imported from Malaysia and Indonesia, all elaborately and somewhat gaudily packed, has many takers simply because they are affordable options. "There is no such thing as a cheaper option when it comes to dry fruits. Since much of it is imported, the prices are high," said Samir Shah, a wholesaler.

While the almonds and a selection of walnuts come from California, dates come in from the Middle East and raisins arrive from Afghanistan. There are some qualities of walnuts that arrive from Kashmir, and a selection of cashew nuts that arrive from the South. "The better-quality dry fruits are imported, often because the quantity grown locally is not adequate. Besides much of it is exported as well," said Ketan Bansal, a seller from Vashi.

While shops may be many, buyers are few and far between. Sure there are plenty of enquiries but these don't exactly translate into business, said a salesperson. "Not just for gifting, but even those who have been buying dry fruits to make homemade sweetmeats have reduced this year," said another seller.

As a rule, retailers increase the prices by 10 to 15 per cent. However, often when they want to push sales, they look for lower margin, even at malls and supermarkets, the dry fruits are elaborately presented. "We have better sales with chocolates, Indian sweetmeats and diyas," said an attendant.

"While dry fruits still make for a good gift, the price is not feasible any more. With that amount, there are many more options available in the market," said Pankaja Karnik, a Vashi resident.