Inflation dampens Eid shopping
People buy ready-made garments at a market instead of going for unstitched fabric as tailoring cost has gone up because of inflation. Photo: Express
As usual, Eid shopping has started in the metropolitan city as markets and shopping plazas begin to witness an unusual rush. However, this time the neck-breaking inflation has been weighing down on shoppers, making it hard for the common man to afford what he could afford on Eid in the past.
They say that Eid is incomplete without new clothes. But the prices have increased exorbitantly this time around, reveals a survey conducted by The Express Tribune.
The price of men's unstitched fabric has gone up by Rs50 to Rs100 per meter on average as compared to the last year.
Similarly, an average cotton suit, which was available for Rs1,000 last year, is now selling at Rs1,400. The price of an average wash-and-wear shalwar-qameez has increased to Rs1,200 from last year's Rs900 and Rs1,000. However, fabric imported from China is comparatively cheaper in Bara markets of the city.
This year, new varieties of cotton fabric, such as Shimre Cotton, Paper Cotton, Malai Cotton, and Cotton Lawn, have also been introduced in the markets.
Since imported fabric is expensive, people are increasingly opting for locally spun clothes. According to shopkeepers, ready-made garments are becoming unaffordable for the common man which is the reason they prefer to buy unstitched fabric. The products of local textile mills, especially Shabbir, Gul Ahmed, Star, Lakhani and Dawood, are in high demand.
The main cloth markets are situated in Saddar, Tariq Road, Haidari Market, and Bara markets in Nazimabad, Qasbah, Lasbela, Saddar and Defence. The cloth sales centres set up in different parts of the city wear a deserted look during the day, but they witness an influx of customers after Iftar and Taraweeh.
These cloth centres extend their business hours until Sehri in the second ten days of Ramazan when the sales pick up. Chawla Market in Nazimabad is particularly popular among shoppers due to its family-friendly environment.
According to shopkeepers, mostly cotton and cotton lawn for kurtas are being sold due to hot weather, while the sale of imported cotton has also increased, which is soft and suitable for summer.
Traders say that rising street crimes have also affected their sales as they deter shoppers from coming to markets. People prefer to shop in the crowded markets that is badly affecting sales in smaller markets in the city and its suburbs.
Shopkeepers have reported a significant decrease in the sale of wash-and-wear and fancy clothes due to heat. Chicken and lawn are also bought for kurtas.
Besides local brands, fabric imported from South Korea, Indonesia, and China are also available in the markets.
Apart from that, textile mills in Karachi have also set up fair price shops on their premises which are mostly located in the SITE and industrial areas. At these shops, fabric is available at a price 10 to 15 per cent lower than the market price. For this reason, these shops are crowded with customers during their business hours.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 29th, 2023.