Sale of ACs, fans, coolers yet to pick up pace in district

Neeraj Bagga

Amritsar, May 10

With long intensive summer heat proving to be elusive so far and night temperature remaining low, the sale of electronic gadgets such as air-conditioners, desert coolers and ceiling and pedestal fans is yet to gain pace in the district.

70% dip in sale of electronic goods

About 70 per cent decline in sale of electronic goods was recorded this season in comparison to the corresponding period last year. So, an inventory of electronic gadgets piled up and retailers withheld the payment for the stocks. Anil Kapoor, president, Amritsar Distributors Association

Anil Kapoor, president of the Amritsar Distributors Association (ADA), said about 70 per cent decline in the sale of electronic goods was recorded this season in comparison to the corresponding period last year. So, an inventory of electronic gadgets piled up and retailers withheld the payment for the stocks. The retailers were citing the unsold stocks as proof of a slow start to summer this year, he added.

Kapoor said usually a major proportion of the sale of air-conditioners, desert coolers, fans and other items in the district took place between February and April. This time, the trend was reversed and nearly 70 per cent of the stocks remained unsold. Rough estimates of the ADA suggested that between 15,000 and 20,000 units of air-conditioner, 30,000 and 40,000 units of desert cooler and over 1 lakh unit fans are sold every year in the local market.

Balwant Singh, a retailer, said the demand for summer goods has remained subdued this season, making their plans go adrift. Even the demand for power did not go up in comparison to the hot days witnessed in April and May. For this reason, a large number of people have not switched on their ACs. Obviously, the reason lies in the fact that moderate temperature and cool breeze forced a considerably large number of households to avoid using ACs at night.

PSPCL officials also accepted that the demand for power was below the corresponding period last year. They said a large number of households would continue to avail of the rebate of up to 600 units of domestic power in the bimonthly billing.

Traders dealing in summer household items are now hoping that the weather god would extract them out of the trouble of unsold inventory. A rise in temperature would equally zoom up the demand for electronic articles.

Power demand low, claim officials

PSPCL officials also accepted that the demand for power was below the corresponding period last year. They said a large number of households would continue to avail of the rebate of up to 600 units of domestic power in the bimonthly billing.