Srinagar- In the lead-up to Eid-ul-Azha, consumers in Srinagar and other parts of the valley have been taken aback by the ‘astronomical surge’ in the prices of essential commodities, with many having curtailed their purchases on the occasion.
While customers accused the government of failing to keep an eye on the prices of essentials, traders ‘bemoan’ the drop in sales ahead of the approaching Muslim festival.
Distressed by the steep rise in the price of essentials ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, customers complained that merchants’ four-fold hike turned this holy time into a nightmare for the cash-striped.
The affected consumers have expressed concerns about the dealers’ proposed hike in essential commodities and how it may affect those who are already struggling financially.
The abrupt price hike, they claimed, has taken an ordinary man off the guard. Even only the staple foods, much less the customary treats people enjoy on Eid, have grown more and more expensive.
“Prices of every basic necessity, such as bread, mutton, chicken, and bakery, have nearly quadrupled. If it’s not kids who love bakery, we won’t care. Eid teaches us to share happiness with one another rather than fleecing on such special occasions,” Manzoor, another customer from Gojwara area of down-town told Kashmir Observer.
Due to my financial inability to have all I used to have at home for Eid, I cut back on my shopping this year. And this is what I could only do, he added. When this reporter visited the biggest cattle market in the city, located in the old city’s Eidgah area, the vendors lamented the severe decline in sales, claiming that few people were purchasing sacrificial animals this time around.
“Since Monday, I have been able to sell five of the fifty goats. We are undoubtedly affected by the decline in sales since this particular business is the only one that keeps us alive. On Eid-ul-Azha, I used to sell between 50 and 100 sacrificial animals, but it appears like the clients are worn out this year,” Altaf Ahmad Baba, a livestock trader at Eidgah, told Kashmir Observer.
This year has had a major impact on the markets, which are often teeming with bustle as people purchase goats, sheep, and cattle for the yearly rite, he added.
“They (traders) are primarily focused on maximizing their personal profits, never ever exhibit empathy for the underprivileged. Whether a seller or a consumer, every Muslim considers Eid to be sacrosanct, and it is against Islamic tenets to profit from this blessed occasion,” Syed Ali, a consumer said.
The astronomical rise of basic commodities like bread, mutton, and poultry on Eid gives goose-bumps to an ordinary person living from hand to mouth, he said.
“I paid 60 rupees for a plain butter cake on Eid-ul-Fitr, which is now worth rupees 80. The price of chicken has increased to as much as Rs 180, while butchers offer mutton at will. Isn’t this injustice meted out to the poor? Is there anyone to listen to our woes?” questioned a lady following a trader’s reprimand for engaging in haggling.
There was a drop in sales in the open market on Eid, Javid Ahmad Tenga, president Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), acknowledged that people were exhausted and the marketplaces missed hustle-bustle.
“I spoke to some chicken sellers, and they told me that they had a little business ahead of Eid. Other vendors also reported a similar situation. I hope everything will return to normal,” Tenga told Kashmir Observer.
Lack of regulation by the authorities concerned, she claimed, around this price hike allows unscrupulous traders to exploit the circumstances and fleece clients.
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