The festival of colour ‘Holi’ this year is all set to bring cheer to business communities in the country as it is expected to generate business worth around `60,000 Crore for traders and retailers.
For playing Holi with colors, people are demanding white T-shirts, kurta-pajamas, and salwar suits. At the same time, T-shirts with “Happy Holi” written on them are also witnessing steady demand in the market.
According to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Secretary General and BJP MP from Chandni Chowk, Praveen Khandelwal, only Indian-made herbal colors, gulal, water guns (pichkari), balloons, sandalwood, puja materials, apparel, and other items are being sold extensively.
“Along with these, sweets, dry fruits, gift items, flowers and fruits, clothing, furnishing fabrics, groceries, FMCG products, consumer durables, and many other products are also in high demand across markets. Due to increased consumer spending, various business sectors are witnessing a sharp rise in Holi-related sales,” he said.
Holika Dahan will be held on March 13, while the festival of colors will be celebrated on March 14.
According to CAIT data, the Holi festival this year is expected to generate business worth over `60,000 Crore, reflecting a nearly 20 per cent increase compared to the previous year’s figure of `50,000 Crore.
In Delhi alone, an estimated business of over `8,000 Crore is anticipated.
Khandelwal further mentioned that large-scale Holi celebrations are taking place across Delhi and the entire country, leading to a high demand for venues. As a result, banquet halls, farmhouses, hotels, restaurants, and public parks are fully booked for Holi events.
More than 3,000 Holi Milan celebrations of varying scales are being organisd in Delhi alone, bringing visible joy and enthusiasm among the people. Several business, social, cultural, and religious organisations are actively hosting Holi Milan events.
The BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal said that similar to previous years, this time too, both traders and customers have boycotted Chinese goods during Holi sales.
Praveen Khandelwal emphasised that India is a land of festivals, and every festival or religious occasion inevitably boosts trade. Holi is expected to stimulate economic activities, benefiting local businesses, small traders, small-scale industries, and the MSME sector in particular. This Holi festival will also prove to be highly beneficial for traders and retailers across the country.
As the festival of Holi approaching, Delhi’s wholesale and retail markets are completely decorated and stocked.
Shops are witnessing heavy footfall, especially for gulal, pichkaris, and other festive items as expected, sweets shops are experiencing a massive surge in sales, particularly for Holi-special gujiyas and other festive treats. Markets are already embracing the festive spirit with colorful gulal, water guns, gujiya garlands, and dry fruits filling shop displays.
The increasing number of shoppers indicates a strong festive buying trend.
Praveen Khandelwal also noted that it is customary for people to gift dry fruit garlands along with sweets and fruits to their relatives, which has further boosted market activity.
