Takhar jewelry business suffers as consumers strength declines

TALOQAN (Pajhwok): Some jewelers in northern Takhar province have complained against decline in their business saying their sale had declined by 60 percent now comparing to the past.

Shahabuddin, one of the gold sellers, told Pajhwok Afghan News the jewelry market condition was currently down comparing to the past because common people suffered from financial crisis.

Halt of economic activities and investment caused took away the ability of common people to purchase jewelries and this change dropped the market of jewelries by 60 percent and the jewelries suppliers are concerned about this situation.

Hasibullah Ghafori, one of the silver metal sallers, said: “The business of silver is also down now compared to the past, I have had about 60 customers daily in the past in my shop, but now the number of my customers has unprecedentedly decreased and even I cannot pay the rent of my shop”.

Ghafori asked the government for support to prevent their business from stagnation.

He said, I sold the average from 700 up to 1.000 grams of silver on daily basis during the previous regime but now my sales decline up to 120 grams per day.

He believed the poverty forced families to lose interest with jewelry purchase.

Hakim, another silver seller in Takhar said: “in addition to the low market of our sales, we are concerned about the attacks of robbers on such businessmen; there is no doubt that the poverty of the people is also one of the main reasons which brought down the level of our sales”.

Ramin Ahamdi, another jewelry businessperson, said: “My business was good in the past and I had 10 assistances working with me and they were making an income for their families too, lately as the markets became dim, I have discharge everyone and now I can’t meet my daily needs sometimes”.

He has also called the economic problems after the political change in the country one of the main reasons which dimmed the market of jewels.

Local residents in Takhar acknowledged the change in Takhar jewelry business saying in the past more people purchased jewelries in Taloqan markets but now the number of these customers declined.

Nazir Ahamd, a visitor who came from Kandahar for entertainment said, silvar found in Takhar was of highest quality and urged people to use domestic products to support the local industrialists as well.

However Maulavi Ziauddin Dilawari, the head of provincial Industry and Commerce Department denied the stagnation of jewelry markets in Takhar but assured that the government will support the artisans under any circumstances so that their buying and selling market to remains booming.

Aw/nh