The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Long hours and a trying business

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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Long hours and a trying business

With no monthly salary to rely on, hawkers have to make do with what little they earn

Big stores are also eating into their business slowly by beginning to sell
low-priced items

Photo: Meera Srinivasan

tough job M. Mohammed Ibrahim in Pondy Bazaar, T. Nagar.

They do brisk business, but don’t earn a great deal, say hawkers selling small toys, bindis and other accessories.

Abdul Hakeem sells toys in Pondy Bazaar, whose prices range from Rs. 10 to Rs. 1,000. The toys are from China, and he gets them from a local trader, he says. A father of two school-going children, Mr. Hakeem finds it difficult to cope with the price rise. He works long hours to ensure that he makes enough money to keep the family going. “I set up shop at 8 a.m. and stay till 11 p.m. to make sure I make enough money for the day.”

Hawkers have increased the prices of the items they sell. But that does not translate into higher profits, as expenses have gone up. “What was five rupees earlier probably costs seven now. But that’s not of much help,” says M. Mohammed Ibrahim, who sells bindis and accessories.

Mr. Ibrahim says that the cost of the stock they buy has gone up. “Apart from that, basic food stuffs like rice, oil and sugar cost a lot more than they did last year.”

He also makes the interesting point that big stores are eating into their business. “These days, your bigger stores have also started selling accessories that aren’t expensive,” he says, adding that he earns the same today as he did two years ago. Mr. Ibrahim, who also has two children going to school, makes about Rs. 6,000 per month.

For hawkers like them, it is vital not to lose even a single customer. “Some of the customers are reasonable while bargaining. With others, we have to convince them we aren’t making huge profits,” says another hawker, who sells T-shirts and hand kerchiefs.

“We don’t have a monthly salary to rely on. The few rupees we make selling these items is all we get,” he adds.

He also feels he is losing customers to some of the bigger shops which have begun selling clothes at low prices.

“Earlier these small items were available only with us. But now, several of the big shops sell small items like daily wear, cheap accessories and even bindis, besides the regular branded wear and other items,” says Mr. Ibrahim.

They feel that the next couple of months are bound to be difficult. “At this time of the year, we have additional expenses like school fees for the children, new uniforms, books and shoes. We have to work longer hours to be able to meet those expenses,” says Ramesh, who sells hangers.

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