Dry Fruits Demand on Rise

As the winter season is in full swing, the demand and sale of dry fruits has significantly increased in Islamabad. However, with the increasing demand, the prices have also gone up beyond the reach of common man. 

A vendor arranges dry fruits as he waits for customers at his roadside stall in Islamabad on Dec. 13, 2012. Dry fruits sales rose during winter season in Islamabad.

A dry fruit shop owner, Gul Khan in Abpara Market, told ABC that dry fruits are mostly used in winter season to get some relief from cold and argued that the rates were normal and there was no price hike as some people blame. But many buyers complain that the prices of dry fruits this year have shot up and became out of their reach. However, when contacted the vendor said they themselves get these fruits at high rates from other cities. 

"Dry fruit dealers use to store dry fruits, which result in shortage of the commodities in the market and thereby leading to increasing prices," a dry fruit vendor told ABC. He, however, said that this is only one reason of price hike adding that there are several other factors leading to increasing prices during the winter season. 

The prices of dry fruits including Almond, pistachio, walnut, pine nut (chilghoza), date, cashew nut (Kaju), dried apricot, coconut, fig and peanut increase in winter season as these are mostly demanded during the season. Most of these fruits are grown in hilly areas like Northern Areas, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Balochistan, FATA and KPK.