A cook prepares thunka puri at Bali yatra. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Nov. 22: Business so far has not been satisfactory for 65-year-old Bauri Bandhu Sahu, the owner of a popular thunka puri kiosk, at Bali yatra this year.

Sahu had first started thunka puri business at the Cuttack Bali yatra along with five other people some 40 years ago. But this time, the trader is apprehending huge loss because of low turnout of visitors to the fair.

“Usually, we do a business of about Rs 5 lakh during the weeklong festival. But this year, we have been able to do business of no more than Rs 1 lakh so far,” said Sahu.

Many believe that there has been a drop in the number of visitors to Bali yatra this year because of cyclone Phailin and subsequent floods in various parts of the state.

District administration officials said that Bali yatra had registered a footfall of about two lakh visitors every day, while the average turnout used to be nearly three to five lakh in previous years. A record number of 12 lakh visitors had thronged the fair on a single day last year.

Apart from the low turnout of visitors, price rise of various delicacies, including thunka puri, is also one of the key reasons for the poor sale of food items.

Sources said there had been a hike of Rs 20 to 30 on every food item, including thunka puri, compared to last year. A plate of thunka puri is priced at between Rs 60 and Rs 75 this year, while it was Rs 30 last year.

“We have been forced to raise the price as the cost of various raw materials, including potato, onion and other vegetables, has risen exorbitantly,” Sahu added.

Apart from thunka puri, other popular delicacies, such as chicken biryani, mutton biryani and various non-vegetarian food items, have also become costlier by about 10 to 15 per cent. “There is no uniformity in the price of various food items as the cost varies from one kiosk to another. Mutton biryani, which was available for only Rs 80 last year, is now being sold at Rs 100 to Rs 110 a plate,” said Smruti Ranjan Muduli, a visitor.

Of the 1,300 kiosks that have come up at Bali yatra, over 300 stalls are engaged in selling of various food items.

“As the district administration has increased the cost of land per square foot from Rs 18 to 20, we have been forced to increase the price of our products,” said Gokula Swain, owner of a fast food centre.