There have been comments in social media how currency in circulation is back to pre-demonetisation levels.
So, just downloaded data and plotted it.Yes, indeed!
Archive for March 21st, 2018
Currency in Circulation: Pre and Post Demonetisation trends
March 21, 2018Ironies of life: Goldman sees PNB woes hurting GDP
March 21, 2018Goldman Sachs has recently updated and lowered its India’s growth rate of GDP forecast from from 8% to 7.6% in 2018-19 due to PNB fraud.
Video: Why Kerala has chosen the jackfruit as its official fruit
March 21, 2018I had earlier blogged about how every bit of jackfruit can be utilised for something or the other.
Fittingly, State of Kerala has chosen it as a state fruit.
Why Denmark dominates the World Happiness Report rankings year after year
March 21, 2018I had just blogged about this wonderful story of a US citizen living in Denmark for a few days to figure the so called Dane life and happiness.
In this piece, Professor of Psychology at Dickinson College writes on what makes Denmark top happiness rankings year after year. It is something called “hygge” (intimacy and trust) which is behind these rankings:
Do we need banks?
March 21, 2018Prof JR Varma of IIMA has a few related posts which question the role of banks. He argues the need to move from a bank dominated financial system to a more market driven one.
Who is to blame for bitcoin mania?
March 21, 2018Prof Vivek Moorthy of IIM Bangalore blames the central bankers (particularly Alan and Ben) for the mania:
When recipes go national and change local taste trends in India…
March 21, 2018Namrata Singh of Times of India has this interesting article. She points how some recipes are going national and changing local tastes. Wheat is being eaten in Southern States and Malabar Chicken is being eaten in Northern states:
Diversity may have traditionally given rise to a number of cuisines distinct to regions, but changing food habits and extensive migration of workers are spreading local tastes across the country.
For instance, a sweet variant of the Gujarati Gorkeri pickle from a leading national player gets its highest sales from West Bengal. Similarly, a Rajasthani sweet lime pickle from the same brand gets its highest sales from Delhi, followed by Karnataka and Maharashtra. Packaged foods major ITC noticed that its branded wheat atta is growing faster in the south as compared to other geographies. Given the growing cosmopolitan consumer behaviours, brands are framing strategies in line with the emergence of fresh consumer demand across regions.
Sanjana Desai, head of food division business development at Desai Brothers(Mother’s Recipe), said, “We have been part of this transition and have witnessed consumption of a particular regional variant product being consumed more in other regions. For example, Punjabi pickle variant — which was traditionally sold in Punjab & nearby states — has seen more growth and traction in states like Maharashtra and other places. In fact, Mother’s Recipe’s Punjabi Pickle is one of the top selling variant in Maharashtra (21%) followed by Delhi (17%) & Karnataka (14%).”
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Hemant Malik, chief executive of foods division at ITC, said there is a rising trend of people becoming increasingly health conscious, which is reflected in lifestyle changes. An IMRB exploratory study showed that the Indian housewife is making changes to her diet and lifestyle as a result of concerns related to lifestyle-related diseases and adulteration.
Malik said, “We have been witnessing this trend in the south with consumers increasingly adopting wheat and wheat-based dishes. The incidence of ready-to-eat chapatis is also on the rise. According to a study done in Tamil Nadu, households consuming atta at least once a week for breakfast has risen more than twofold in the last one year. Chapatis & wheat dishes, which were earlier restricted to only dinner, are now becoming more accepted as a breakfast meal. This is also reflected in household panel data, which shows that Aashirvaad atta enters about 75% of households in the south.”
Even in the ready-to-cook segment, Desai said the company has seen south special Kerala variants like Malabar chicken roast getting good traction in markets like New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and other parts of India as well. Similarly, Kerala Fish Curry is being sold in Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and northeastern states and has seen the demand increasing.
The reasons are: migration, experimentation with other region food and availability of these foods through out the year:
Key factors driving sales are consumers, who are well travelled, experimenting with other cuisines. Brand expert Harish Bijoor, who founded Harish Bijoor Consults, said, “As migration becomes the norm, geography becomes history. People migrate for jobs beyond the boundaries of state, language, and indeed food-lines. As this happens, there is still a craving for what one is used to. Therefore, if you suddenly find a Haldiram’s Mathri — with a pickle sachet in it to boot — doing well in Madurai, do not be surprised. Equally, do not be surprised if a Maiya’s boondi and ready-to-make Karnataka Rasam cube does amazingly in Delhi.”
He added, “Food tastes and cravings have criss-crossed borders. “In the beginning, when a FMCGcompany launched a khakra, it sold it only in Gujarat. Today, it sells a khakra all across from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. As people have moved, their food tastes have moved as well. An Odiya restaurant in Bengaluru and a Kerala food restaurant in Bhuj is the new reality we walk into. FMCG offerings in food today, and beverages tomorrow, will make the local-local market as ‘un-local’ as can be.”
Another key aspect is availability of products throughout the year. “Earlier, pickle making was limited using regionally available and seasonal fruits and vegetables. People generally made one or two varieties of pickles, which they would consume for limited period. With the advent of commercialisation, the effect of seasonality has decreased. All pickles and seasonal food products are easily available to consumers throughout the year,” said Desai.
Superb stuff…
Mostly Economics 
