With ease in restrictions, sale of wedding fruit baskets goes up

Ajay Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 6

As stylish face masks became a necessity in marriages amid lockdown, the custom of exchanging fruit baskets between the families of the future bride and groom remained a major miss. Among several other wedding rituals, the exchange of hampers filled with fruits, chocolates, flowers, dry fruits and even jewellery is also a mandatory custom.

But due to the lockdown, the sale of wedding fruit baskets suffered a huge set back even during peak marriage season.

Now, as lockdown restrictions have been relaxed, the demand for wedding fruit baskets has again picked up pace. Not only the fruit vendors are gaining profit, basket makers are also back in business.

Amritpal Singh, a fruit vendor, near the Maqsudan road said, after a hiatus of almost two months customer demand has picked up. From the past few days, we are selling around 8-10 baskets daily. A wedding or engagement basket comprises 2-kg mangoes, one papaya, 1-kg oranges, one-dozen banana, one pineapple, 1-kg apples, grapes, pomegranates, one coconut, plums and 3-4 packets of dry fruits, he said. "The cost of each basket is between Rs 600-1200, depending upon its size. I am happy that the sales have resumed as the trade of wedding fruits baskets is more profitable than selling fruits", added Singh.

Similarly, Binod Kumar, another vendor who is into this business from past eight years, said to stay afloat we supplied the baskets to our regular customers at the doorsteps during the lockdown.