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Jewellers see no bright future in Ludhiana post lockdown
Besides expecting very few customers with not much cash with residents, they also fear that non-availability of skilled labour will also affect their ability to fulfill orders for marriages
With the jewellery sector already reeling under losses due to lockdown, the exodus of the skilled labour from the state has added to the woes of jewellers in the city.
The jewellers rued they were already facing an uncertain future due to the shortage of funds with residents and, with the non-availability of skilled labour, they would also be unable to fulfil the orders for the marriages to take place during the next 2-3 months. Skilled labour of Maharshatra, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh has no work as shops have been closed since March 22.
President of the Ludhiana Swarnkar Sangh Prince Babbar said, “The labourers have started their journey back home amid lockdown. If the skilled labour making jewellery moved out of the state, the jewellery business would nosedive and face heavy losses. However, we are seeking permission to open our shops as maintaining social distancing is no problem at jewellery stores due to less footfall of customers.”
Babbar said they submitted a memorandum with assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Waryam Singh on Friday seeking permission to open their shops and were now planning to meet deputy commissioner (DC) Pradeep Agrawal as jewellery shops in nearby tehsil areas have opened. There are around 400 shops, including wholesalers, in the Sarafa Bazar and nearby areas.
A jeweller in Sarafa Bazar, Tribhuvan Thapar, said, “We are facing an uncertain future and, viewing the present trend of very few farmers turning up for purchasing jewellery after the harvesting season, it is unlikely that business would pick up immediately after the lockdown ends. The limited number of guests during marriages would also have effect on our sales.”
The jewellers are also concerned over the rising prices of gold in the market. The price per 10gm has crossed the 47,000 mark, which was around Rs 38,000 when lockdown was announced.
President, Ludhiana Jewellers Association, Anand Sikri, said, “Our future is uncertain as gold is a luxury and post-lockdown, everyone would prefer to purchasing necessities.”
