Dry fruit prices surge up to 50% in Delhi as West Asia conflict hits supply

Delhi: Dry fruit prices in the national capital have risen by up to 50 per cent amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has disrupted supplies of several items, including medicinal herbs, traders said on Wednesday.

Rajiv Bhatia, president of the Khari Baoli Market Association which is the hub of wholesale markets for spices and dry fruits, said prices of dry fruits have increased by 20-50 per cent as traders are facing supply shortages due to the conflict.

“Except for cashew, most dry fruits are imported from West Asian countries, and supplies have come to a halt. With the Eid festival approaching, demand for dates has increased, but stocks are limited,” he said.

He added that the supply of several medicinal herbs from the region has also been affected.

Khari Baoli, located in Old Delhi near Chandni Chowk, is known as Asia’s largest wholesale spice market and has been a key hub for trade in spices, dry fruits, herbs and related commodities for centuries.

Another wholesaler, Omesh Jain, at the market said traders are currently relying on existing stocks as fresh supplies have stopped.

“We are operating with limited stock. The supply of items such as almonds, figs, pine nuts, dates and several herbs has come to a standstill,” Jain said.

He further said that if the situation persists, prices may rise further in the coming weeks.

Traders said Indian exports to West Asian and European countries largely pass through Dubai, a major trading hub, and the disruption has created uncertainty in key markets such as Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli, Bhagirath Place, Kashmiri Gate and Sadar Bazaar.

Brijesh Goyal, Chairman of the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), said that if the conflict continues, trade and industrial activity in Delhi worth around Rs 5,000 crore could be affected.

He said prices of dry fruits imported from Iran including pistachios, plums (aloo bukhara), raisins, figs, dates and Mamra almonds have increased by 30 to 40 per cent.

CTI Senior Vice President Deepak Garg said the cost of essential raw materials such as chemicals, plastics and aluminium has also risen sharply, impacting the pharmaceutical sector.

He said prices of raw materials used in common medicines have increased significantly in recent days, adding that paracetamol has seen a rise of about 47 per cent, while diclofenac, diclofenac potassium, amoxicillin trihydrate and ciprofloxacin have also recorded substantial increases.

According to the CTI, around 50,000 street food vendors operate in Delhi, and nearly 20–30 per cent of them are at risk of closure due to the ongoing shortage.