Unseasonal Rains Hit Sales Of Cooling Appliances In Rajasthan

While a relatively cool start to the summer season in Rajasthan due to unseasonal rains has most people thanking the weather gods, traders selling air conditioners and coolers are feeling the heat due to weak sales.

Large parts of Rajasthan witnessed below-normal temperatures over the last two months due to rains and thunderstorms triggered by back-to-back western disturbances, weather systems that originate in the Mediterranean region and bring unseasonal rainfall to northwest India.

The unseasonably cool weather has affected the sale of cooling appliances.

According to Sachin Gupta, president of Jayanti Market here, the sale of air conditioners has dropped 40 per cent compared to last year and that of coolers has seen a 60 per cent decline.

"The start of the season was good in February but soon after Holi, when the weather started changing, sales started slowing down. Throughout March and April, sales were low because the temperature hovered around 30-32 degrees Celsius," said Gupta, who is also a distributor of air conditioners.

Companies are also running various offers, including cashback offers, to boost sales, he said. Ashutosh Joshi, who sells coolers, said there was a shortage of coolers in the market last year and the same situation was expected this year.

"However, March and April have been dull for us. Now the temperature has started increasing and we expect sales to pick up," he said. Cooler temperatures have also hit potters' earnings.

Mukesh Prajapat, a potter in Gajsinghpura, said he usually sells around 1,500 earthen pots from February to June but has only sold 150 so far this year.

This is because of rains keeping the temperature in check, he said. Bageshwari Devi, a customer visiting Prajapat's shop, said she didn't feel the need to buy an earthen pot until now.

"Because of cooler weather in March and April, I didn't feel the need to buy an earthen pot. Now that the temperature is starting to rise, I have come to buy one," she said.

Traders and potters can expect sales to pick up soon as the meteorological department has predicted warmer days ahead. The weather office has forecast dry weather and an increase in day temperatures over the next three days.