ISLAMABAD: As the winter season settles in, dry fruits, a popular delight, have become an unaffordable luxury for many common buyers in Pakistan due to soaring prices. The prevailing price hike situation, coupled with inflation, has impacted the purchasing power of low- and middle-income groups, making daily essentials like vegetables, fruits, and now even dry fruits, challenging to afford.
Dry fruits, known for their nutritional benefits and immune-boosting properties during the winter season, have witnessed a substantial increase in prices. Sellers, faced with the need to earn maximum profit, find it challenging to balance their household expenditures.
Sajid Khan, a dry fruits seller in Islamabad, expressed the difficulty of managing household expenses if he did not maximize profit. The trend of offering discounts on special occasions is becoming common in an attempt to attract buyers amidst the high prices.
Prices of Dry Fruits
The escalating rates include almonds (without shell) at Rs. 2800 per kg, Walnuts (without shell) at Rs. 2200, Pistachios for Rs. 3600, apricots for Rs. 1200, dried apricots for Rs. 1600, dried figs for Rs. 3200, Raisins for Rs. 1700, dates for Rs.1200, Afghani Rewari for Rs. 1200, and Cashews for Rs. 3600. The exorbitant price of Pine nuts, around Rs. 14,000, has rendered them unaffordable for most customers.
Customers lament the inability to afford the nutritional dry fruits due to the prevailing price hike situation. Asim Azhar, a government employee, expresses the impact of surging rates on daily habits, noting the challenge of buying dry fruits except for peanuts.
Dry fruits, despite being locally produced in Pakistan, remain costly, making them inaccessible to a significant portion of society. Health experts emphasize the health benefits of dry fruits, highlighting their role as a healthy alternative to fried or oily snacks during winter.
