Mercury Continues To Dip, Charcoal/Firewood Prices Soar
Traders make hay while cold wave grips State
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 12 2013 : While mercury level continues to plummet in the State, prices of charcoal and fire-woods have been on the rise along with brisk sale of meiphus as people resort to all available means to keep themselves warm.

As per record from the ICAR Research Complex NEH Region, Lamphelpat the minimum temperature in the State dipped to a record low of minus 0.5 degree celsius yesterday.

Apart from the hill areas where modest snowfall had been a recurring phenomenon for the past few years, there has been slight increase in the quantum of snowfall witnessed in the valley pockets with many early morning walkers reporting about snow covered fields and open spaces.

The fact that Imphalites have been in the grip of chilly weather conditions for the past few weeks was best summed up by a lady charcoal seller who plies her trade at New Checkon Road.

According to 50-year old Soibam Hemolata, her years of experience in the trade indicate that people have increasingly become dependent on charcoal to beat the bone-chilling cold.

Speaking to the Sangai Express, Hemolata said not only has the charcoal demand increased manifold but the price too has gone up by Rs 50-60 for a large sack of charcoal.

In the recent past a charcoal bag commanded about Rs 390-450 but the same quantity presently fetches Rs 450-460, she said and mooted that owing to financial crunch many commoners prefer smaller packs in the range of Rs 50-60 and Rs 10-20 as heat during preparation of meals are apparently utilised for keeping them warm.

Brisk sale of charcoal with the mercury dipping

Acknowledging that due to remote chances of using electric devices to beat the chill owing to dismally poor power supply in the State the people are compelled to rely on charcoals, Hemolata explained that increase in demand contrary to drop in supply is one of the factors for hiking charcoal prices.

Quoting charcoal transporters as saying that some areas of Churachandpur district, Sajik Tampak and Tengnoupal in Chandel district, and villages near Mapithel Dam in Thoubal district are the major charcoal producing areas, she said charcoals are mostly brought to imphal in mini trucks (Tata 407) with a truck load containing nearly 150 bags.

Stating that sale of 10-20 bags was the normal trend a few months back, Hemolata said in the last few days 20-25 bags are being sold on a daily basis.

During the warmer seasons, her trade used to be sustained through purchase by gold-blacksmiths and preparation of meals in chula/meiphu, she confided.

Fire-wood seller M Bimola Devi (60) of Nongmeibung Nambam Chuthek also had a similar tale of increase in demand for firewoods due to the prevailing chill.

in her 20 years of experience in the trade, Bimola said she had never witnessed brisker sale as present.

Recounting that she entered the trade when a 40-kilogram firewood was about Rs 80, the lady trader informed that from a gradual increase in the price to Rs 180 some months back the present rate of firewood is Rs 280 .

Regarding demand, Bimola said nearly 4 quintals are sold everyday which is more than half the quantity traded some months back.

Conveying that her source of firewood is from Ukhrul side at the rate of Rs 40,000 per truck load, she opined that increase in the number of locals purchasing firewoods might be due to the chill factor.

Normally bulk purchases used to be made to social and religious events, Bimola added.

Along with demand price of meiphu has also gone up with women vendors of Khwairamband Keithel stating that a large-sized locally made charcoal/firewood burner is currently sold at Rs 200, compared to about Rs 130 in the recent past.

It is also said that meiphu manufacturers had been working overtime this season as there has been a sharp increase in demand.

In the same manner demands have gone up for Myanmar-origin charcoal burner, mostly used for cooking purposes.

According to difference in sizes the prices vary but a notable change was the increase in the rate in the range of Rs 120-140 .

While the demand used to be about 10 each day currently the purchase trend had doubled, said the women vendors hinting that the increase might be due to preference for heat spreading appliances rather than LPG stove that concentrates the heat only on the utensils.