It is estimated that approximately 1.75 lakh tonne of ghaari will be sold and consumed in Surat on the occasion of Chandni Padva. This in monetary term translates into business worth Rs6 to Rs7 crore.
The long wait for the sweet treat is over for Surtis. For, Chandni Padva, the much-awaited festival where ghaari, a special kind of sweet, is consumed under a moonlit sky is finally here.
It is estimated that approximately 1.75 lakh tonne of ghaari will be sold and consumed in Surat on the occasion of Chandni Padva. This in monetary term translates into business worth Rs6 to Rs7 crore. Thousands of kilos of bhusa (a type of namkeen) and bhajiyas will also be consumed on the occasion.
According to sweet sellers, some of the most popular varieties of ghaari are maava ghaari (Rs260 per kg), badam pista ghaari (Rs 300 per kg) and kesar pista ghaari (Rs 340 per kg). Taking into consideration the concerns of diabetics, many ghaari makers are also selling sugar-free variety of the sweet, which is priced at around Rs400 per kg.
While sweet shop owners are keen on tickling Surtis taste buds, they are also worried that the high price of the sweet may affect its demand. “The ghaari prices this year are the highest ever. This is because prices of raw materials used for making ghaari have shot up in the recent months,” said Atul Ghaariwala of Shree Jamnadas Ghaariwala, one of the oldest ghaari shops in Surat. Sugar, milk, dry fruits and maida are some of the basic ingredients used in making ghaari.
Ghaari sellers said that sugar prices have gone up from nearly Rs20 per kg last year to Rs36 per kg this year. They said milk prices have also shot up from Rs24 a litre to Rs27. Similarly, prices of various dry fruits have gone up by 25 to 30% over the last year. Maida prices too have nearly doubled, while ghee is costly by around 30%.
“Our input costs have risen significantly over the past one year. However, we are trying to absorb this price hike and have increased the ghaari prices by just Rs20 to Rs30 per kg,” said Paresh Halwawala, the owner of Ramesh Ni Mithai, a sweet shop located at Bhatar Road.Halwawala also said that the demand for ghaari has gone down compared to last year.
Besides the numerous sweet shops in Surat, dairies like Sumul Dairy and Choryasi also sell large quantities of ghaari. In the last few years, various mandals and community clubs have also started making ghaari for their members
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