AVERAGE SALE OF CHINESE LIGHTS IN SILIGURI DESPITE BOYCOTT CALL

By R. Subrata (TNI Siliguri)  |  TNI Editing Siliguri

Webdesk, TNI Siliguri, 24^th October, 2016: The claim of Chinese media of Record sales during Diwali is somewhat justified at least by a night stroll survey through the Bidhan Market, Mahabirstan and Gatebazar of Siliguri. TNI made some night stroll survey on the effects on the Chinese product sales in Siliguri. It has found some interesting feedback from the local businessmen. Earlier one of the State-run Chinese daily Global Times claimed “Diwali, one of the most important Hindu festivals and one of the biggest shopping seasons in India, is coming at the end of October, but encouragement to boycott Chinese goods has been spreading in the last few days on Indian social media, and even a few Indian politicians are exaggerating facts,” in one of its articles. Based on the Diwali sales of Siliguri TNI asked various businessmen, traders of Siliguri for 3 days. Most of them have a common answer that the sales have not picked up during this Diwali as far as the products are concerned.

The product mainly got affected is the electric lights like rice lights, light strips, mini party lamps, tea lights, mini party lights etc. These products are in high demand during Diwali. Mr. Nilesh Sah, a small shopkeeper in Mahabirstan, who stocks those lights during Diwali, said that, this time we are facing huge losses because the social campaigning started just after they stocked the products. However, similar viewpoints were shared by businessmen from Gatebazar area also. In Bidhan Market of Siliguri, the reaction is a bit mixed. Since most of the wholesale establishment of these products happens to be in Bidhan Market the reactions are a bit mixed here. Though some businessmen on conditions of anonymity said that there are low sales compared to the previous years, yet some wholesalers have a completely different viewpoint. Mr. Pradip Kundu, a wholesaler indicated that the products are stocked at least 3 months before the pujas hence; the profits of the Chinese companies are already at this time. Social media campaigns started much later so it is not affecting the wholesale market. However, the secondary sales are facing the brunt and bringing goose bumps for the small traders. Mr. Kundu also said that the other products like Bulbs, Batteries, and emergency lamps (All of them are Chinese or have Chinese accessories) are unaffected despite social media campaigns. Overall, it can be said that there are average sales of Chinese products in Siliguri city despite the Social media ban. May this can be contributed to the untimely strategy for social campaigners.

Photos: R. Subrata (TNI)