Hot and dry weather keeps shoppers away from markets in Karachi

Continuing hot weather has severely hit the sales of fruits and vegetables in the sacred month of Ramazan, while trading activities in the wholesale and retail markets also remained low owing to shortage of buyers. Traders said majority of the customers stay away from markets due to persisting heat wave hence they remain reluctant to visit the markets and prefer staying at home. The majority of the buyers come out in the evening an hour before Iftar. One can see fruit market wearing deserted look if visit is made in the morning. Vendors blame extreme heat wave in the city for the reduced trading activities.
"There is no point shutting the shops as I cannot save the vegetable for more than a day. Though the business was not even one-fourth of what I manage during normal days, it matters a lot as we will otherwise go penniless," a vendor told this scribe during a visit to a market. Shop owners also admitted that sale of vegetables and fruits, is still sluggish as compared to previous years because of rising cost of living also.
The fruit vendors at Safoora fruit market are vying for opportunities to scale up their sales and among fruits, mangoes demand has been increased. Shop owners also noted that the sale of samosa, pakora, kachori, dates and fruits are on a rise despite their soaring prices that have gone out of reach of common man during the holy month of Ramazan. But, they insist, prices are comparatively low as compared to last year. There is no concept of Iftar without pakora, samosa and kachori as these items are considered essential part of Iftar.