Energy-saving measures hit furniture industry

The energy-saving programme, under which all shops, markets and factories across the city are required to close by 8pm, has disrupted the furniture market, delaying the preparation of wedding furniture sets ordered by families. A 100 to 150 per cent increase in raw material prices has further complicated matters, prompting furniture shop owners to demand higher payments even for previously booked orders. It has led to disputes between families and shop owners, while wedding dates are also being postponed. Due to the lockdown, delivery of wedding furniture orders is being delayed by one week to 10 days. The situation has worsened with three to four hours of daily electricity loadshedding. Parents and the Furniture Dealers Association have strongly protested against the situation. Rawalpindi's major furniture markets - located at Kuri Road, Rawal Road, Pirwadhai, Chah Sultan, Faizabad and Double Road Shamsabad - produce all types of furniture on a wholesale basis. Families typically place wedding furniture orders in these markets. Across these six wholesale hubs, around 350 small and large factories and shops manufacture furniture for homes and offices. Pakistani, Indian and European styles are produced, using materials ranging from high-quality expensive wood to Chinese wood. Steel furniture is also manufactured at these facilities. Over the past week, orders have been delayed by one to 10 days. Shopkeepers and factory owners said that since factories must close by 8pm, workers begin wrapping up work half an hour earlier. Work does not start before 10am, reducing daily working hours from 14 to around 10. Out of this, about one hour is consumed by lunch and prayers. Furniture shop owners Wahid Khan and Asjad Ali said the lockdown has pushed the industry towards collapse, while four hours of loadshedding has further worsened the situation. They appealed to the government to allow businesses to operate. They said raw material prices have surged by up to 200 per cent over the past two weeks, making it impossible to fulfil earlier orders at agreed rates. "We cannot operate at a loss," they said, adding that while families are justified in expecting timely delivery, meeting deadlines has become difficult.