Srinagar, Jan 1: The recent surge in prices of traditional bakery items across the Kashmir Valley has stirred public concern. Essential delicacies like “cake,” “girda,” “coconut cookies,” and “baqerkhani” — staples in Kashmiri households — have become significantly more expensive, leaving many families burdened.
Bakery owners attribute the price hike to rising costs of raw materials, including wheat and sugar, coupled with soaring electricity and gas bills. “We had no choice but to increase prices to sustain our businesses,” explained a well-known bakery owner.
Residents, however, have expressed dismay over the unaffordable rates. “A few days ago, I bought a cake for Rs 70 near Kashmir University. Today, the same cake cost me Rs 80,” lamented a local.
Many have called for government intervention to regulate market prices and protect consumers from further financial strain.
KNT
