Monday, 24 JUNE 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The heat wave conditions experienced in Dehradun this year may have broken past records and caused major inconvenience to the masses but the high mercury levels also boosted the business of potters as the sale of earthen pots saw a considerable rise compared to last year.
Due to the higher temperatures experienced this summer, many purchased small earthen pots costing Rs 250 each and large pots costing Rs 400 each.
A seller of earthen pots and pottery, Manoj Kumar said that the hot weather resulted in a substantial increase in sales compared to last year when demand was low. This year, even though prices went up, there haven’t been any losses. However, the higher prices did reduce the profit margin. Another trader Rahul said that he has sold earthen pots amounting to Rs 35,000 in this summer so far. However, there are challenges in this business as clay from Rajasthan is used to make the pots in Chandigarh and some of the products break during transportation, he claimed.
Since the raw material is sourced from Rajasthan and the product is made in Chandigarh, the cost also escalates a bit, he added. Potters buy the small pots with fixed taps for Rs 220 and the large ones for Rs 380. Even with the losses from breakage, selling the pots is still profitable.
Local resident Mukesh Kumar said he prefers earthen pots because refrigerator water is not good for digestion it might also cause a sore throat whereas water stored in earthen pots is cool while also being better for digestion. However, he also said that the choice is wider and the prices are more affordable in rural areas while in Dehradun, the choice is limited and the prices are higher.
