Mudassir Ahmad
Srinagar, Jun 27: On the eve of Eid Ul Azha, the festive buzz is missing in markets across Kashmir with traders complaining less sales as compared to the pre-Covid period.
Eid-ul-Adha will be celebrated on June 29 in various parts of the world. With two days left, the traders say that markets that used to be crowded with people shopping for Eid have missed that usual buzz.
Bashir Ahmad, who sells garments in Lal Chowk said, “There is around a 60 percent decline in sales of what we used to make before 2019. It seems people don’t have much money to do shopping on Eid. People aren’t ready to spend much on non-essential items,” he said.
Muzaffar Ahmad, another shopkeeper, said there has not been much economic activity for the last several years. “Covid and inflation has badly affected people here. The prices of essential commodities have gone up which has burned a hole in the pockets of the common man,” he added.
Adil Ahmad, a college student, said the people’s purchasing power has gone down over the last few years. “Besides, Kashmir is reeling under hot weather and people prefer not to move out of their homes unnecessarily,” he said.
Doctors have advised people to take precautionary measures including asking elders not to move outside unnecessarily.
Javed Ahmad, who runs a crockery shop, said the markets are seeing lower footfall. “Except bakery, sweets items and the meat, there has been considerable decline in sales of other shopkeepers,” he said.
He said due to pay cuts and job losses in the private sector, people are not interested in shopping for Eid.
He said they used to have a jam-packed season of Eid, but this Eid there is no such thing. “With fewer earnings and huge inflation, I have decided to purchase only essential items and save some money,” said Adnan Ahmad, who works in a private company.
