UP’s biggest spice market feels the pinch

LUCKNOW : How about savouring the famous ‘Avadhi’ cuisine without spices?

Well, this situation may become a reality in the near future as the state’s biggest spice market in Lucknow’s Rakabganj is running out of spices.

Shop owners here say though the city of nawabs is situated almost 2,000km from flood-hit Kerala, the spice garden of India, its effect is very much visible on the Rakabganj market that houses over 800 shops. The wholesale market at Rakabganj ensures the supply of spices not only within the city, but also to many districts of Uttar Pradesh.

Cardamom, black cardamom, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, betel

› A large amount of spices is required to prepare kebabs or biryani. Hence, we are very much affected by the increased prices of the spices USMAN, owner of Tunday Kababi

nut and mace (the dried outer covering of nutmeg) that are considered among the essentials in any non-vegetarian dish, especially Avadhi cuisine, are either low on supplies or have witnessed an abnormal price hike, traders say.

“Supply of spices across the country has been affected due to Kerala floods and we in UP are no exception. We are running short of spices either due to delayed supply or no supply. This situation has pushed up the prices by almost 30%,” says Robin Agarwal, owner of PN Traders, one of the oldest Rakabganj shops dealing in spices.

Agarwal said cardamom was earlier available at Rs 1400 per kilogram, but the price had now shot up to Rs 2100 per kg. Similarly, the price of black cardamom has gone up from Rs 1100 per kg to Rs 1500 per kg. The price of mace has increased from Rs 1300 per kg to Rs 1900 per kg. The price of cloves has gone up from Rs 750 per kg to Rs 900 per kg.

“The price hike has come within weeks of the flood that wreaked havoc in Kerala,” he adds. Shop owners in the 60-yearold Rakabganj market say the spices are brought here from the Delhi market. Aminabad has the city’s second largest spice market with 350 such shops.

Abhishek Jaswani, owner of ‘Moti Babu Kirana’, says small traders are finding it hard to stock spices after the rise in prices. His store is one of the oldest outlets dealing in spices.

Owners of eateries serving Avadhi cuisine too have felt the pinch. Usman, whose grandfather established Tunday Kababi in 1905 and who is now the owner, says the increased price of spices is burning a hole in their pockets.

“A large amount of spices is required to prepare kebabs or biryani. Hence, we are very much affected by the increased prices of the spices,” says Usman who claims to use over 150 spices in making the galawati kebabs.

Mohammed Shoeb, owner of Mubeens, says nahari was incomplete without the flavours of exotic spices.

“There is no alternative to it. Nothing can replace the flavours that we get from the spices. The effect (of the Kerala floods) on the market of spices is worrisome not only for foodies, but also for those dealing in Avadhi cuisine,” he says.