Dried Fruit - pic pexeles
It would not be wrong to call dried fruits the best gift of nature in winter, as they are a source of not only nutrition but also mental and physical energy. With the onset of winter, piles of almonds, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, chickpeas, apricots, coconuts, raisins, figs and other dried fruits begin to appear in the markets. While in this season their prices increase record. Compared to last year, the prices of dried fruits have gone up by 30% this year. Last year, the price of high quality chickpeas went up to Rs 8,000 after a sudden increase of about Rs 3,000 per kg, but fortunately this year the prices have come down a bit. Prices of pistachios, almonds, cashews, raisins, walnuts and figs rose sharply. Traders in Karachi attributed the rise in fruit prices and the inaccessibility of the common man to a drop in demand and a slowdown in business. While meat, fish and other seasonal fruits have become out of reach of the people due to skyrocketing prices, now dried fruits are also becoming out of their reach. With the onset of winter, the spring of dried fruits begins to appear in the major cities of the country. The jars are full of pistachios, almonds, walnuts, cashews and raisins, but when you hear their prices, you feel dizzy and dizzy. In order to find out the reasons for the rapid rise in prices of this rich, delicious and dried fruits of nature and the distance from the reach of the people, we had a detailed discussion with the traders and retailers of different markets of Quaid-e-Azam city, Karachi.
It is rarely cold in Karachi, but as soon as it starts in November-December, the spring of dried fruits comes on the sidewalks, small shops and alleys, including various big shops of the city. Karachi’s Jodia Bazaar, Empress Market, Water Pump, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, Quaidabad have many small and big shops selling good quality dried fruits, but people are now looking for expensive and big stores to get good and quality items. Has started to turn, where all things are found in one place at the same time in a cool and peaceful environment. Good packaging and easy shopping for customers away from Bao Tao. Nowadays, everything is easily available in the department stores of Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Clifton, Defense, Saddar and other covered areas. Although the prices are higher here than other shops in the city, but the best services, security arrangements and above all shopping in a quiet environment is a special pleasure.
Passing through the crowds of Empress Market, when we reached a big store, there was a rush of shoppers, the owner of the shop noticed and tried to ask where the dried fruits are ordered from and what are the prices etc., but he So there was no time to scratch our heads. After listening to us with difficulty, he drew his son towards us. Go to the warehouse of K, you get good quality goods, there are big dealers, who buy containers by paying money, we don’t have enough goods to buy containers, because there are good and bad in containers in every way. The one who has the money comes out, he takes the risk, all the shopkeepers of Empress Market buy one hundred and fifty cartons from them according to their need, they are afraid to take more goods because some of the weather in Karachi I don’t know, just look at the month of December, but the heat is sweating. People also come here according to their demand and need when it gets cold in winter season. Do shopping Shopkeepers quote different prices during Bahao Tao. If the price of roasted cashew nuts is found, they are quoted as Rs. 2200 per kg and Rs. 2600 per kg. These days, the price of salted pistachios of different quality in Empress Market is Rs. Asked the price of chilgoze, the shopkeeper looked at us with compassionate eyes and said, “Five thousand rupees is a kilo, will you buy it?” One of the elders, Amanatullah, said: Done. ”A man standing nearby, Sabir Ali, overheard our conversation about fruits, then addressed without preamble and said,“ Sir! In Karachi, there used to be a delicious dessert called “Chorme”, which was full of dried fruits and it was full of nuts, but it has become extinct for today’s generation. At that time it was very cold in Karachi. Halwa was eaten wrapped in quilts, which not only kept the body warm but also kept it healthy. Today they are not cold winds, nor is it the custom to form a circle around the fire and tell stories. In these parties, pistachios and almonds were eaten as if it was a party of nobles, but now even rich people are seen eating peanuts, and that too is becoming out of reach of common man due to high prices. ‘
A man named Abu Bakr, sitting in a half-century-old shop on Burns Road, told us, “It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the dried fruit business. There was a time when the population of Karachi was limited, so the necessities were cheaply available, our whole cart was filled with goods of five hundred rupees. Now people’s standard of living has changed, those who travel in expensive cars are ashamed to take fruits from the wheelbarrow parked on the road, they feel better to go shopping in big stores and shopping plazas. They believe that the dishes in the supermarket will not be dull, but let me tell you that whether you buy these dried fruits from Jodia Bazaar or from Clifton, the quality is the same for everyone, just the style of selling is different. O Jinnah Road, a well-known shop where sweets are made, 70-year-old Kari Gar, Imtiaz Alam said in Lucknow accent, “Aji Hazrat! There was a time when when we were children, our mothers used to give us pistachios and almonds in their pockets. Now that time has become like the story of Alif Lailawi. Thirty or forty years ago, the inhabitants of the ancient settlements of Karachi used to invite me to prepare a special kind of ludo. ۔ Quantitative proportions were taken into account in its preparation. “We asked Shahbaz Khan, a dried fruit dealer in a street in Bolton Market, about dried fruits, and he replied in Pashto.” Business is very bad these days, the process of paying sales tax and the rising value of the dollar has broken our backs. We bring goods from Dubai, USA etc. to Karachi by transport, but due to being expensive, these fruits are beyond the purchasing power of the people. I have now given up pistachios and almonds and started a raisin business, in which although the profit is less, there is no harm.
The streets adjoining Jodia Bazaar and Denso Hall are full of jars of figs, pistachios, dates, almonds, walnuts and apricots, but shopkeepers are worried about the lack of buyers. Vendors say they are unable to reduce the price of these fruits due to various taxes. On the other hand, it is becoming more and more difficult for the people to get these fruits. Various fruits and nuts produced in Pakistan are exported abroad, which are collected in dollars. People are happy to take home peanuts for Rs 20 instead of Rs 2200 per kg of cashew nuts. However, the price of 250 grams of peanuts, which was Rs 120 last year, is now selling at Rs 180. While the prices of other dried fruits have also increased as compared to last year. However, only the prices of chickpeas have come down a bit. The price of standard chickpeas was Rs 7,000 to 8,000 per kg last year, which has come down to Rs 5,000 to 6,500. Despite the sharp decline in world market prices and the promotion of imports, consumers from different cities of Pakistan are having difficulty in purchasing dried fruits. During a visit to various markets in Karachi, shopkeepers and traders offered different prices for dried fruits. Karachi’s largest wholesale market, Izan Usman of Jodia Bazar, Rashid Shahid of Burns Road, Abdul Majeed of Shah Faisal Colony, Abdul Ahad of Landhi and Karimullah of Malirtanki reported different prices for fruits. However, the president found out the price from Chanda, one of the women selling dried fruits on the sidewalk in Empress Market, and he said the price was very low. In this regard, some people present on the occasion said that they sell their goods on the basis of travel instead of kilo. However, according to the gross price obtained from the shops, the prices of dried fruits are as follows this year. American Almonds 1500 and Sword Almonds 1700, Indian Cashews 21 to 2200, Pistachio Peeled 3000, Unpeeled 1900 Rupees, Walnut Peeled 1400 Rupees, Unpeeled 500, Figs 1200, Figs 1200, Raisins 550 to 1000 Rupees and Chilgoza 450 They are being sold at Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per kg. They also have different rates in terms of quality and variety, for example, the varieties of walnuts include Peshawar, Bundy, China, American and Chile.
The chicks became phoenixes …..
The shopkeeper of Karachi Empress Market, where Zeb, while commenting on the sharp rise in prices of chickpeas and its decline, said, “You are talking about chickpeas, here all the fruits would be out of reach of the poor. are going to. Due to the continuous rise in prices over the years, they disappeared from the market. It doesn’t matter to the rich, but the poor are forgetting the taste of it. ” ۔ The production of chickpeas is a difficult process, the chickpeas planted in the tree do not appear, it is wrapped like a coconut, which when opened or broken, then the petals open like flowers, from which many seeds come out, they It is taken out in a special way and kept in the ground for two weeks, after which it is kept in the sun for one month to dry. Then they are packed in sacks and delivered to the free market of Bannu. In the market, every contractor has his own kiln, where it is roasted. The standard of living of ordinary workers is rising in the northern areas and wherever chickpeas are produced, they are convinced of hard work, the production and demand of chickpeas have revolutionized their lives. At one time they were not aware of its importance, but as education and skills became commonplace, they became aware of it. ” The price of dried fruit has been reduced from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000, but it is temporary. If the rates of dried fruits continue to increase, then the rates will also go up. ”Syed Mohammad Mohsin, a customer at the shop He is from Sindh. He listened to our conversation, then Barmala said, “Sir! Chilgoza strengthens the heart, but buying it makes the heart less strong.
Eat the blessings bestowed by Allah, but in moderation
While the use of protein-rich dried fruits has benefits for human health, it also has some disadvantages, which should be considered as part of the diet. Pomegranates, peanuts, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, etc., are rich in proteins and proteins, as well as special calories. Babies who are already healthy and overweight should be careful not to over-consume dried fruits in excess of protein in the body, as the body has a certain amount of protein in it. ۔ According to experts, an almond has 10 calories, similarly peanuts have ten calories, while pistachios and raisins have eight to ten calories. Three almonds contain a glass of milk. On cold days when the body needs more energy and warmth, these dried fruits give us energy. However, eating large amounts of hot fruits can cause dryness and itching of the skin. In addition to vitamin C, raisins also contain other vitamins. Peanuts, chickpeas, walnuts are rich in vitamins. Therefore, eat the blessings bestowed by Allah Almighty, but with moderation. However, while dried fruits are preferred by people of all ages for their taste and flavor, they are also considered to be beneficial to human health due to their fiber and other nutrients. According to experts, it also contains a large amount of calories and those who eat dried fruits stay away from heart disease. Eating fifteen to twenty cashews gives one hundred and eighty calories. Keeps healthy, reduces the risk of stroke, relieves fatigue and anxiety.