KOCHI: After a bleak season, markets in the city woke up to a festive fervour. People who kept off shopping hubs, following the devastating floods that rocked Kerala, began to trickle back to stock Christmas and New Year goodies.
For the shopkeepers, the swarm of shoppers came as a welcome relief after suffering a dull Onam season, the stocks of which are yet to be cleared off. However, traders say this is just a seasonal effect and may not really last long.
According to Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES) district president Jaleel M, festive cheer has spread in Broadway and Convent Junction. "The change has come but there is still a long way to go. The solace is that there is an end to the uncertainty that prevailed over the last few months. But, we are not sure this will last longer," says Jaleel. For the past few months, only bakeries and hotels registered a good turnover with other industries, including garments, plunging into deep debt.
However, many shopkeepers are trying to make most of the season. Says Ciju Cheeran of Orange Collections: "What we see for the past one week is the seasonal sale. The demand is more for seasonal goodies like stars and streamers. The sale of ladies items and bags are yet to pick up." A prominent trader of Broadway, Ciju says their sale plummeted by half following the floods.
In the home appliance industry which usually sees a grand sale every festival season, things are far from desirable. "There is a slight increase in customers for entry-level goods. But, the sale of mid-level and high-end appliances is still very less. Even with the Grand Kerala Sale Utsav, things were not that encouraging," says Sudheesh, sales manager, Bismi Home Appliances.
Hartal
The KVVES has also lashed out against political parties that call lightning hartals. "We were badly affected by hartals. The first BJP hartal was called at 2 am and by then the eateries had prepared for the next day. All those items went down the drain. The gravity of a hartal is always gauged by how many shops downed their shutters. This has to change. We are not going to support a lightning strike anymore," says Jaleel.