With a grain of salt : Business suffers for local nimko traders

Savory snack vendors in Islamabad and Rawalpindi report domino effect as pandemic outbreak cripples economy

ISLAMABAD:

Nimko, a savoury mix made from deep-fried lentils, ground dough, chickpeas, spices, chips and peanuts, is a favourite evening snack for many across the country. The quick-serve item, which can be found in almost every household, is among the most common appetisers served to guests along with tea and also makes for the perfect titbit for light snacking.

Although various types of nimko are sold in bakeries around the country, the variety made in Karachi is popular among Pakistanis around the world for its rich flavour and quintessential crunch. Although there was a time that people from Islamabad and Rawalpindi relied on their trips to Karachi or visits by friends and family to bring back quality nimko from the port city, the surge in local demand has now formed a huge market for the savoury snack in the twin cities.

However, like many sectors, the recent crisis created by the pandemic outbreak has also left local nimko traders in dire straits. According to a trader, who has been associated with the sale of nimko for generations, recent circumstances have had a severe financial impact on their once booming business. “The country as a whole is undergoing an economic crisis, which has had a domino effect on our trade. Surging gas prices coupled with unnecessary government taxes have paralysed the business and huge amounts of ingredients have gone stale at our factories during the days of lockdown,” the trader lamented. “Ingredient prices have also climbed to an all-time high, which has made it very difficult to save any profit for ourselves after paying all the employees and clearing bills.”

In addition to that, traders informed that their business incurs additional expenses during summer months, which are especially taxing for the workers who spend several hours preparing the snack on a hot stove.

Most expert workers choose not to work during summers given the difficulty of the task, so traders have to resort to paying higher salaries to employ workers during this season. Speaking to The Express Tribune about the issues of local nimko vendors, Awami Counselor Shoaib Anwar believed that the government should consider giving certain incentives to such units of small industries to aid the sector.

Raja Fahim, a resident of Islamabad shared that he prefers buying fresh nimko as opposed to brand-named packets of the snack. “The salts and preservatives used in these products can prove quite harmful for the health and they are also likely to get wet and go stale during the rainy seasons. So it’s best to buy fresh,” he told. Speaking in a similar vein, health expert Dr Mushtaq Ahmed said that continued, copious consumption of such products can be particularly harmful to children.

“The ingredients used in the preparation of these snacks can cause swellings in their throat and oesophagus and it is advised that children should be given fresh foods and fruits instead.”

On the other hand, as per local nimko traders, Islamabad and Punjab administrations have imposed strict quality control measures for their products, which are also exported to other cities including Murree, Gujar Khan, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. “Although we use the highest quality of ingredients and cooking oil, it is near impossible to match the taste and flavour of Karachi’s nimko,” he commented.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2020.