A day after rumours about shortage of salt led to panic buying in Delhi-NCR, it was the turn of tobacco products on Saturday.
Citing cash crunch and shortage, vendors across Delhi-NCR are selling cigarettes, pan masala and tobacco products at a premium.
A pack of cigarettes is being sold for Rs.50 above the marked price.
Prices of pan masala and related products have been hiked by 50 per cent.
“Most people don’t have cash to pay us and we are providing them cigarettes on credit. As a result, we are unable to pay our suppliers, which has resulted in a shortage,” said a cigarette vendor at ITO.
“Prices are only going to get higher in the coming days,” he said.
Many vendors are accepting old Rs.500 notes on the condition that customers buy goods worth the entire amount or pay upfront and keep getting cigarettes or pan masala over the next few days.
