Cracker of a gift season for dry fruits hampers this Diwali

Kolkata: Dry fruit hampers topped the gift lists this Diwali, with sales surging over 20% despite a hike in prices. Apart from the demand for gifting, the use of dry fruits in making sweets also pushed up the demand.According to wholesalers and retailers at the Mechua Fruit Market and Burrabazar, the prices of gift hampers ranged between Rs 600 and Rs 2,000 and upwards. According to various wholesalers' and retailers' associations, the total sales of these hampers in the city and suburbs could be around Rs 500 crores."Dry fruit hampers have topped the gift lists this Diwali. From corporates to families to individuals, everyone opted for dry fruit hampers. The sellers in the city got busy days in advance before the festival as orders started pouring in. The sales could be between Rs 400 and Rs 500 crores," said Sushil Poddar, president of the Confederation of West Bengal Trade Associations.Sweets and chocolates, along with lamps and diyas, have traditionally been the most gifted items during Diwali. This year, however, dry fruits have pipped them all. "Sweets cannot be stored for long whereas there is no such problem with dry fruits. This is one of the main reasons many opted for dry fruits this Diwali," said Wasim Akram, owner of MS Dry Fruits Store, a wholesaler of dry fruits at the Mechua Fruit Market, the biggest market for dry fruits in the city.Prices of various dry fruits increased between 20% and 25% but the increase in prices of various raw materials to make chocolate was higher. "This is another reason why many people opted for dry fruits over chocolates," said Hanuman Mal Sethia, owner of Balaji Company, another wholesaler of dry fruits in the city.Many households have even recycled the hampers. "This Diwali, everybody seems to be gifting dry fruits. We gifted some of the hampers we received to our business associates," said a trader in Chandni Chowk.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.