The absence of a prolong heatwave this summer has dampened the sale of sharbat and murabba in Amritsar, where these traditional products form part of a centuries-old cottage food industry.
Sales of sharbat, a seasonal item, largely depend upon the quality of summer. Around 40 food-processing units in the district manufacture sharbat, with the industry clocking an annual turnover of more than Rs 100 crore. Most of them are also into making achar (pickles) and murabba (preserve), due to the availability of high-quality groundwater in the walled city.
Rakesh Thukral, president of the Achar Murabba Association, said so far a prolonged summer remains elusive, holding back a good sale of sharbat.
Majority of these stores have been preparing sharbat for more than a century, and are located in Mishriwala Bazaar near the Golden Temple. According to traders, the weather pattern this season has been marked by brief spells of intense heat followed by rain or cloudy days, affecting consumer demand.
Sharbat manufacturers are now awaiting a prolonged and intensive heatwave which draws sales across northern India.
Popular varieties include brahmi badam, tripti, bazuri, sandal, kaashni, khas and zeera sharbat. A majority of these preparations use herbs sourced from the Himalayas, while others are made from fruits such as falsa and shahtut, and flowers including rose and kewda.
Alongside sharbat, consumers also continue to favour murabba, another traditional summer delicacy.
Rakesh Kumar Meeka, who has been operating his 135-year old family business for more than 40 years, said locally prepared sharbat and murabba enjoy demand from across the country.
Murabba, made from fruits and vegetables, provides longevity to these fresh farm items which are otherwise perishable in nature.
Dr Sidhant Banura, who completed his PhD in Food Technology from Guru Nanak Dev University in 2024, said both sharbat and murabba are believed to have originated in Iran before locals learnt the art of preparing them.
“A majority of the work was done manually, creating significant employment. However, workers tend to shift professions, workplaces or cities, which also takes away skills acquired over the past years,” he said, adding that majority of the workforce involved in the profession are migrants.
He said the introduction of the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme in 2022 gave a boost to the traditional sharbat and murabba industry. Envisaged by the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries, the scheme supports micro food-processing units with capital investment, common infrastructure, marketing and branding support.
