JAGATSINGHPUR: Demonetisation has hit the sale of woollen products in the Port Town of Paradip with the Tibetan and Nepalese traders yet to open shops.
The market place, which used to witness people jostling for space at this time of the year, wears a deserted look. Still, people make rounds of the Tibetan market hoping to come across some migrant vendors selling the winter garments.
Every year, as the winter sets in, Nepalese and Tibetan refugees open shops to do business in the coastal town. The migrant families set up make-shift shops along the main roads and sell sweaters, gloves, stockings, rugs, mufflers, monkey-caps, and jackets at prices affordable by the commonman.
As the traders deal in cash only, the note ban has hit them badly, said some Tibetan families who have made Paradip their home and set up shops.
The note ban has also hit the buyers and local sellers. One Sanatan Sethy from Sanpur village said, “After waiting for recalibration of ATMs, I withdrew `2,000 and went to Somnath Haat to buy a sweater but had to return disappointed as the traders demanded that I tender the exact amount due to shortage of low value currency notes.”
Meanwhile, wholesale and retail traders at Paradip, Rahama, Tirtol, Jagatsinghpur, Raghunathpur, Tarikunda and other areas have complained that severe shortage of small denomination currencies has resulted in a sharp dip in garment selling business.
“Sale of woollen products has been badly affected. We are unable to make payment to our suppliers and customers. Our daily trade, including sale of winter garments, has dropped by nearly 75 per cent due to shortage of lower denomination currencies,” said Debendra Patra of Tarikunda Bazaar.
The sale of winter garments by migrant families begins by late October or early November and continues till January end.