Over the years, it has been traditional to gift dry fruits on the occasion of Diwali, but this year it has become costlier than ever in Nagpur, forcing families to rethink their festive budget. Nagpur’s markets are brimming with hampers, but prices tell a different story. Compared to last Diwali, pistachios are up to 70 per cent costlier and almonds 25 per cent dearer. Traders at Itwari and Cotton Market said almonds have risen from Rs 750-1,000 to Rs 850-1,200 per kg, pistachios from Rs 1,500-2,100 to Rs 2,300-3,000 per kg. For buyers, the math is not working. A basic dry fruit box of 200g-300g now costs Rs 230-945, medium boxes of 400g-550g are at Rs 1,000-1,935 and premium wooden boxes have touched Rs 2,299-3,719. “Last year I gifted 12 dry fruit boxes to relatives, this year I can afford only 6 in the same budget. The box looks the same but quantity has halved,” said Sunita Kale, a housewife from Dharampeth. “My children directly asked for chocolate hampers instead, they look bigger and cost less.”

 

Many families echoed the same shift. Chocolate hampers ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 800 are becoming the first choice, especially for younger relatives and neighbours. “I wanted to gift dry fruits to my office staff, but at Rs 2,500 per box, it was too much. I ordered assorted chocolate gift packs online at Rs 600 each, they were delivered with packing and looked premium,” said Hemant Sharma, who runs a small firm in Sadar. At the same time, many Nagpurians are returning to traditional local sweets. Sellers in Sadar, Mahal and Manewada said demand for malai pedha, motichoor ladoo, kaju katli and besan barfi has picked up as they cost Rs 400-600 per kg, less than half of a premium dry fruit box. “For my budget of Rs 1,000, I get one small dry fruit box or two kilos of good quality sweets for two families. Sweets feel more festive and personal,” said Rajesh Gupta, a resident of Jaripatka who was buying sweets from a local halwai. Traders said buyers are now tweaking dry fruit boxes themselves, avoiding pistachios and asking for more raisins, seeds and flavoured cashews to keep the box full without raising the price. Yet, the purpose remains timeless: to welcome the festival with a little more sweetness and warmth.