The city’s largest wholesale market is witnessing a loss of over Rs 5 crore every day due to unseasonal rains. The traders in Jumerati, Hanumanganj and Azad markets claim that the sale in these markets has reduced to 10 per cent due to the unseasonal rains. The traders claim that in this season the residents stock their groceries for a year and over 40 tonnes of grocery and other items including dry fruits, spices and oil are sold every day.

However, these markets where roads remain crowded to an extent that one can’t even ride a two-wheeler properly are now lying vacant. These markets are famous for wholesale and mini wholesale grocery and household item shops and visitors from Bhopal and nearby cities reach there for shopping in bulk.

The prime season for stocking groceries has arrived and most of our customers buy products for a full season now, says Anupam Agrawal, an office-bearer of Jumerati and Hanumanganj Thok Kirana Bajaar Vyapaar Sangh. He says that the markets are now vacant and shutters down due to rains. Only 10 to 15 per cent of sale is what we can see here now, he says. There are over 350 wholesale and mini-wholesale shops in the market, he says. Disposal Association’s Bhopal President Dipak Sen claims that sale of disposals used in catering too has fallen to 10 pc due to rains. As there are hardly any functions being organised in open grounds where large number of people participate, the demands for disposal catering items has reduced, he said. There are 30 wholesale disposal shops in Lalwani Press road near Jumerati. Similarly, the businesses associated with seasonal commodities have even failed to start.