Team Herald
PANJIM: The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan impact is making itself felt in Goa, with several varieties of dry fruits and spices, coming from the country, being in short supply and prices skyrocketing ahead of the festive season. With India’s dry fruit wholesalers reeling under the prices hike by as much as 40-60 per cent, the local traders in Goa are facing the burnt.
In the absence of new stock, suppliers are selling the old stock at higher rates.
Dry fruit and spice sellers say prices could escalate further by Diwali if a new Afghan government is not formed in time, and trade resumes.
Manoj, a local trader from Panjim market informed that as per the wholesalers, from whom we purchase these commodities, the prices of all the Afghan dry fruit items have increased at least by Rs 300-500/kg.
Currently, in Goa, the Almonds which were otherwise sold at Rs 600-700 per kg, are now being sold at around Rs 1,100-1,200 per kg. Anjeer, which was priced at Rs 1,100-1,200 now costs Rs 1,700-1,950 while Apricots which sold for Rs 350-400 per kg now cost Rs 600-650. Afghani kishmish or raisins earlier sold for Rs 600, now they have risen to Rs 850-900.
Similarly, the spices like poppy seeds are currently priced at Rs 2000 per kg as against the earlier price of Rs 1,100kg. Also the cinnamon prices too have doubled from Rs 600 per kg to Rs 1,200 per kg.
September, in fact, is when the new dry fruit season begins. “Apart from the prices, what is more concerning is the quality of dry fruits and species we are getting. Despite unsatisfied with the product, customers are forced to purchase it as this is a festive season,” said Shehar, another trader.
“We are confused …either wholesaler is not releasing their existing stock, or they are genuinely not receiving fresh dry fruit. I hope fresh shipments arrive before Diwali. This festive season it is unlikely,” said Shehar, who gets his stock from Mumabi.
Ulhas, who has been importing dry fruits from Delhi’s Khari Baoli, the biggest wholesale dry fruit and spices markets in India- said “almost all the dry fruits and species here comes from Kabul since centuries. However, the trade is affected with Taliban takeover. Prices have shoot-up there and so also here. I am too forced to sell the commodities are very high price, to ensure some profit for me.”