Cold weather drives up dry fruits demand
The demand for dry fruits has surged in the federal capital as the winter season continues to become cooler with each passing day.
Some people use dry fruits in dishes specially prepared in the winter season, like 'Gajar ka Halwa' (a sweet dish made of carrots), sohan halwa (a sweet made with all-purpose flour, milk and dry fruits) etc.
Bakeries and sweet shops also incorporate dry fruits in sweets to make them tasty and healthy.
Regardless of price, the demand for dry fruits was at its peak as a rush of customers was spotted at several dry fruit shops.
A dry fruit seller, Pervaiz Khan, said, "The demand for dry fruit is at its peak" because people love to eat them in winter, and it also reduces the effect of cold air on the body. He also said that as compared to last year, the prices of most items have increased due to an increase in the prices of services used for the cultivation of dry fruit and also to reach the end users, like transport, labour, etc.
On inquiry of prices, the shopkeeper said that prices of dry fruits vary depending on quality and origin. As almonds range from Rs4,800 to Rs5,600 per kg, while walnuts cost Rs1400-1,800 per kg, Khan said adding that cashews, figs, and pine nuts are priced at roundabout Rs3,600, Rs4,000, and Rs14,000 per kg, respectively.
He specifically called peanuts the most affordable and best-selling product whose prices depend on the type of area where they were produced.
He said peanuts were produced in mainly three regions of the country including Parachinar, Chakwal, and Gujjar Khan, with prices of Rs1200, Rs720, and Rs640 per kg, respectively.
A customer, Muhammad Ahmed, said that winter was the best season to consume these dry fruits as they gave enough energy and also reduced the effect of the cold weather.
A female customer said, "I want to purchase these dry fruits so that I can use them in deserts, taste and health perspective.
The sale of sweets in which these dry fruits were used was also enhanced due to the effect of the season.
The online sale of dry fruits has also seen a boost, with e-commerce platforms offering competitive prices. However, some online sellers face challenges with cancelled orders and increased costs.
An online store owner said, "Online selling of dry fruits is very appealing during winter." Adding, "We offer very affordable and competitive prices."
"Most customers order online but when goods reach the addresses people usually cancel the order which raises the cost of the goods," the owner added.
The supply of dry fruits involves sourcing from various regions, including Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan, and Punjab. Suppliers have reported increased costs due to transportation and farming expenses reason behind the rise in the prices of dry fruit.
Supplier of dry fruit from Gilgit Baltistan, Wazir Hashmat told APP that he supplied dry fruit items from all parts of the country and sent them to Lahore, where the main market of dry fruits exists.
He also said that prices of dry fruit items increased at farmers' end while other costs associated with transportation also enhanced its value.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
ICT excise dept modernises vehicle services with digital tools
The Islamabad Excise and Taxation Department is introducing new reforms aimed at simplifying vehicle registration, ownership transfer, and tax payment processes. These measures include personalised number plates, digital vehicle registration cards, and an upgraded mobile app for online tax payments — all designed to make procedures more efficient and accessible. In an exclusive interview with APP on Sunday, Director Excise and Taxation Department Islamabad, Bilal Azam, said the department is focusing on improving vehicle-related services, including registration, ownership transfers, token tax payments, and post-registration tasks. Azam stated that the goal is to facilitate citizens as much as possible, whether at their doorstep or via online platforms. Through digital services like the Islamabad Citizen App, people can conveniently pay their token tax from home, reducing the need to visit offices. He added that the digital shift has enhanced both tax recovery and service delivery. Regarding the personalised number plate system, Azam said the department is preparing to launch a new system, the first of its kind in Pakistan. Under the system, registration numbers will be linked to the vehicle owner rather than the vehicle. When a car is sold, the number plate will be returned to the previous owner, and the new buyer will receive a fresh plate linked to their identity. He explained that this step will ensure that no vehicle remains unregistered after a sale. Once biometric verification is completed for the transfer, the previous plate becomes vacant and is reassigned to the seller, while the buyer is issued a new personalised number. The initiative is expected to aid law enforcement in vehicle tracking, ownership tracing, data access, and e-challan enforcement. Azam also stated that vehicle registration cards, currently issued as physical smart cards, will soon be digitised. The digital version will be accessible via the user's Pak-ID account, similar to digital national identity cards issued by NADRA. When a vehicle is sold, the seller will submit an online application through the app. The department is working to enable biometric verification via mobile devices, eliminating the need for in-person visits. Once the transfer is processed, the buyer's digital registration card will automatically appear in their Pak-ID profile. Azam urged citizens to pay their token taxes within July to benefit from government rebates. He noted that many vehicles from the 1980s and 1990s lacked tax records or transactions for decades. Despite public notices and advertisements, non-responding owners had their registrations cancelled. For vehicles with no transactions since the 1990s or 2000s, a new policy has been developed to identify and manage such cases. If token tax has not been paid for two to three years, a 50% penalty is imposed; for longer periods, a 100% penalty is charged. These penalties aim to encourage timely payments. Additionally, a 10% rebate is being offered for token tax payments made in July to further incentivise compliance. Azam highlighted that the department had earlier launched the 'City Islamabad' app, simplifying services including token tax payments. The app, available on Android and iPhone, allows users to register, enter their vehicle number, and generate a PSID (Payment Slip ID). The system automatically calculates the applicable fees and differentiates between filer and non-filer citizens. Payments can be made through any online banking system linked to the PSID. He emphasised the importance of digital platforms, especially given that approximately 1.42 million vehicles are registered with the department. Handling such volumes manually would be inefficient and would result in congestion at excise offices. Digitisation has significantly eased this burden by enabling remote transactions. Another major reform is the shift from material smart cards to fully digital vehicle cards, expected to launch soon. These will be integrated with NADRA's Pak-ID, allowing vehicle owners to download their registration cards directly. Furthermore, the department is working to implement mobile-based biometric verification for ownership transfers, enabling sellers and buyers to complete transactions entirely from mobile devices. Azam advised citizens to regularly pay their token taxes and avoid delays, as the department is now actively identifying inactive vehicles and imposing penalties. The cancellation of registrations for long-inactive vehicles is part of a wider effort to maintain accurate records and ensure accountability. The department's reforms aim to ensure that every vehicle in the capital is registered, taxed, and documented. This is expected to enhance government tax collection and support security agencies in tracing vehicles when needed. Concluding the interview, Azam said that personalised number plates, digital vehicle cards, and online tax payment systems are set to transform vehicle-related services in the capital. Citizens can expect faster, more transparent, and convenient services, reducing reliance on outdated manual procedures.
Express Tribune
10 hours ago
- Express Tribune
ADB assesses feasibility of financing ML-1 project
Listen to article Experts from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Saturday inspected the Karachi to Rohri railway line, which forms a key section of the long-delayed Main Line-1 (ML-1) up-gradation project. ADB Chief Transport Planner Sangyoon Kim, accompanied by Pakistan Railways' chief engineer open lines, examined the 480-kilometre track. Senior railway officials including infrastructure specialists, divisional superintendents of Karachi and Sukkur and other representatives were also present. The ADB team is expected to meet the chief executive officer of Pakistan Railways, the additional general manager for infrastructure and Chinese experts currently working on the ML-1 project. According to officials, the ADB's fact-finding specialists are preparing a detailed report to assess the feasibility and potential of financing the Karachi-Rohri segment, which is part of the first ML-1 package. The proposed upgrading is vital not just for improving the country's railway system but also to support key economic projects. The completion of this section will ensure smoother and faster transportation of coal from Thar and easier access to strategic mineral resources like those in Reko Diq. The ML-1 project has been in the pipeline for nearly two decades. Its first feasibility report was prepared in the early 2000s but progress remained slow due to the lack of political will and consistent financial constraints. The project regained momentum after the launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project in 2015, when ML-1 was included as a strategic infrastructure scheme. Initially, China had shown keen interest in financing the entire ML-1 through concessionary loans. However, in later years, Beijing became hesitant, mainly due to Pakistan's worsening financial health, concerns over loan repayments and delays in other CPEC-related projects. The original ML-1 stretches over 1,872 kilometres, running from Karachi to Peshawar and passing through major cities like Hyderabad, Rohri, Multan, Lahore and Rawalpindi. It connects over 90 railway stations and has the capacity to handle more than 75% of passenger and freight traffic. Once completed, the project is expected to transform Pakistan Railways by reducing travel time by half, improving safety standards, increasing train speed up to 160 km per hour and significantly boosting freight capacity. It is expected to turn the country's outdated rail network into a modern, reliable and efficient transport system. Initially, the cost of upgrading ML-1 was estimated at around $6.8 billion. However, due to changing designs, economic instability and currency depreciation, the financial estimate has been revised multiple times. The current estimated cost is around $6.6 billion, though further changes are possible depending on scope adjustments and financing terms. China's reluctance to move forward with ML-1 financing has led Pakistan to approach other lenders, including the ADB. While the ADB has not yet committed funding for the entire project, their recent inspection and meetings indicate a strong interest in exploring different possibilities. Officials believe that if Pakistan is able to present a well-structured proposal and show improved project management capacity, the ADB may step in either fully or partially to fund initial phases. Pakistan Railways views ML-1 as a turning point for the sector's revival, but it is still unclear whether international lenders will step forward at a time when China has apparently pulled back. According to the officials, it will take some time – no one knows how much – before the ADB decides whether to finance the project or not, however, the railways at all levels is trying its best to get financing either entirely or partially, as train derailments in some sections are now becoming a routine, resulting in less passenger traffic.
Express Tribune
10 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Govt to build Rs3b aquaculture park
Listen to article The federal government has decided to establish a state-of-the-art Aquaculture Park at Korangi Fish Harbour (KoFHAH), Karachi, under a public-private partnership framework aimed at boosting the country's blue economy through sustainable aquaculture. The project is estimated to cost Rs3 billion. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced the plan while chairing a high-level meeting on the development of the blue economy. The meeting was attended by Chairman Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) Noorul Haq Baloch, representatives from the Korangi Fish Harbour Authority (KoFHAH), the Marine Fisheries Department (MFD), and the Balochistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The 120-acre aquaculture park is projected to produce between 360 and 1,200 tonnes of marine products annually, depending on the species cultivated and the farming systems used. Revenue potential is estimated between $720,000 and $7.2 million per year, influenced by species selection, market prices, and production intensity. Officials informed the meeting that land costs have been determined based on an extensive farming model, offering an affordable entry point for private investors. Experts highlighted that Pakistan's coastal waters offer ideal conditions for aquaculture, making them highly suitable for farming a variety of marine species. To fast-track the initiative, the martime minister directed the Korangi Fish Harbour Authority to submit a comprehensive execution report within 10 days. Chaudhry also proposed replicating the aquaculture model in Balochistan, leveraging its vast coastal belt for sustainable marine farming. In a move to improve coordination, the maritime minister ordered the relocation of the Marine Fisheries Department sub-office to the Gwadar Port Authority premises. This administrative shift is expected to streamline inter-agency collaboration and expedite decision-making in blue economy projects. In a separate meeting, the federal minister reviewed progress on land allotment and the lease policy of Port Qasim Authority (PQA). Officials reported that the Survey of Pakistan has been tasked with identifying and demarcating PQA-owned land. It was also revealed that the PQA master plan is being revised in line with the broader feasibility study for the National Ports Master Plan, currently underway. Chaudhry reiterated the government's commitment to promoting sustainable marine development, reiterating that investment in aquaculture and port infrastructure is essential for ensuring food security, increasing exports, and creating employment across coastal regions. The series of meetings chaired by the maritime minister mark a significant step in the government's maritime development strategy, focused on harnessing the full potential of Pakistan's coastal resources through innovation, institutional coordination, and private sector participation.
