Srinagar, July 25: On Sunday, when it was a day-long break from running seven-day shutdown in the Valley, the wholesale market here remained abuzz all through the day.
 Market observers here said the petty shopkeepers and retailers in droves thronged the city wholesale market to procure goods for replenishing their stocks.
 “The petty shopkeepers and retailers in many areas in the city as well as in the villages have exhausted their goods during the shutdown, while they could not replenish their stocks,” they said.
 They said today the wholesale market was abuzz with business activity as these retailers were keen to procure the goods.
 “Our entire stocks had got exhausted during the strikes. Today was a chance for us to purchase stocks for the coming days. We are here since morning waiting for our turn and the rush is very heavy,” said Malik Ahmad, a retailer at Qamarwari while purchasing goods at Court Road, here.
 “During strikes people make all purchase from the local shopkeepers. So to ensure that they don’t suffer we have to keep additional stocks in current situations,” added Feroz Ahmad, another retailer waiting for his turn.
 The merchants at various wholesale markets in the valley including the Koker Bazaar, Stadium Road, Court Road, Batamaloo, etc said that they had witnessed tremendous flow of retailers since the early morning.
 “We are finding it difficult to handle the rush. Presently on an ‘open’ day we have to handle around 350 retailers, otherwise normally only 45 to 60 retailers visit us per day,” they said.
 The retailers could be seen standing in loose and haphazard queues near the wholesale shops in many markets here.
 Members of Wholesale Dealers’ Association told Greater Kashmir that in the current circumstances everyone was trying to have enough of stocks of the essential commodities. “People who purchase on daily basis or in small quantities in normal situations are today trying to have stocks at least for 15 days. Similarly the retailers who usually make purchase for their shops for three days only are now stocking the commodities for 20 days,” they said.
 The wholesalers said the demand for various essential commodities in the market was very high and while buying the goods the people were not taking into consideration the increased prices of these essentials.
 “They are not even checking the prices of any commodity though the prices have increased a lot since the strikes started. No bargaining at all,” they said.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST