Homemade pickles enchant visitors at SME fair

Imagine having breakfast on a winter morning with kichuri, fried eggplants and beef bhuna, but what else can complement this already delicious menu? The answer is simple – a jar of pickles to tingle the taste buds.

Not before long, making pickles at home was a common practice in Bangladesh, but the lives today are full of hustle and bustle, so demand for store-bought pickles steadily increased with time. Homemade pickles occupy a big portion of this market, as many customers prefer those.

On Sunday, the last day of the 9th National SME Product Fair, visitors flocked to the pickle stalls to pick up a jar or two of the delicious condiment. The fair had 325 stalls offering handcrafted products for sale, and was organised by the SME Foundation.

Five stalls sold pickles at the fair this year – Kashmiri Achar, Pickloma Achar Ghar, Pickle Stall of Joyeeta Foundation, Leena’s Achar, and Bounty Food & Beverage Ltd.

Entrepreneurs were selling different varieties of the condiment, such as Alubokhara Achar, Roshun Achar, Bombai Morich Achar, Kodbel Achar, Amra Morobba, Chalta Morobba, Amlaki Morobba, Cherry Achar, Amer Kashmiri Achar, Amer Morobba, Amra Morobba, Jolpai Achar, Boroi Achar, Chalta Achar, Amer Foli, Tetul Achar, Mixed Fruit Achar, and Kali Jeera Achar. Prices vary depending on the quality and ingredients of pickles, but rates started at around Tk 40 for 100 grams.

The prices of Alubukhara, Roshun, Bombai Morich and Kodbel pickles are around Tk 800 per kg. Amra Morobba, Chalta Morobba, Amlaki Morobba, Cherry pickle, Amer Kashmiri Achar and Amer Morobba were sold for Tk 600 per kg. Jolpai Achar, Boroi Achar, Chalta Achar, Amer Foli and Tetul Achar were sold for Tk 400 per kg.

Responding to a query, Pickloma Achar Ghar’s Executive Officer Md Rahat said, “We have more than 24 varieties of pickle available in stock. People prefer the tastes of Kalijira, Roshun and Bombai Morich Achar.

“One visitor tasted Kalijira pickle and Cherry pickle just out of curiosity, and after having a taste, she bought 3 kgs of pickle for her family and friends. We are confident about the quality of our homemade pickles, and this is why we get recurring customers.”

Sheema Akter, owner of the Joyeeta Foundation’s Pickle Stall said, “I made all the pickles here with support from just one helping hand. I never get tired of making pickles because it gives me satisfaction.

“I believe every woman should find her passion, and work on it to become a successful entrepreneur.”

Managing Director of Leena’s Achar, Md Nafis said, “The owner makes pickles along with her two helping hands at home. We do not add preservatives in pickles, and people respond positively with the decision.”

Bakshi Alaur Rahman, Managing Director of the stall, Bounty Food & Beverage Ltd said “we make this pickle in our factory and our pickle can be tasted till two years by keeping at home where homemade pickles can be kept not more than three months.”

At the fair, a number of visitors told The Business Post that homemade pickles are very healthy and tasty, and there is no need to buy pickles made with preservatives when such great alternatives are available at a reasonable price.

Of the 325 stalls in the event, around 117 were selling fashion, boutique, handicraft, leather and lifestyle products.