The summer season has arrived in Rajasthan, but it has brought unseasonal rains and cooler temperatures instead of the usual heat wave. While many people are enjoying the respite from the scorching sun, traders selling air conditioners and coolers are feeling the heat due to weak sales.
According to Sachin Gupta, president of Jayanti Market, the sale of air conditioners has dropped 40% compared to last year, and that of coolers has seen a 60% decline. He attributes this to the weather, saying that sales slowed down after Holi when the weather started changing. Throughout March and April, sales were low because the temperature hovered around 30-32 degrees Celsius, which is not very hot for Rajasthan.
Companies are trying to boost sales by offering various promotions, including cashback offers. However, traders are still worried about their profits. Ashutosh Joshi, who sells coolers, said there was a shortage of coolers in the market last year, and the same situation was expected this year. However, March and April have been dull for them. Now that the temperature has started increasing, they expect sales to pick up.
Cooler temperatures have also affected the earnings of potters who sell earthen pots. Mukesh Prajapat, a potter in Gajsinghpura, usually sells around 1,500 earthen pots from February to June but has only sold 150 so far this year. This is because of the rains keeping the temperature in check.
Bageshwari Devi, a customer visiting Prajapat’s shop, said she didn’t feel the need to buy an earthen pot until now. “Because of cooler weather in March and April, I didn’t feel the need to buy an earthen pot. Now that the temperature is starting to rise, I have come to buy one,” she said.
Traders and potters can expect sales to pick up soon as the meteorological department has predicted warmer days ahead. The weather office has forecast dry weather and an increase in day temperatures over the next three days. This may lead to an increase in sales of cooling appliances and earthen pots, but traders and potters are still wary about their profits for this season.