Asansol is a Mixed Economy–Premium Market: Surendra Agarwal, Namaskar Agency, Neamatpur
Asansol has a mixed marketfor agarbatti and dhoop products.Sharing this information,Mr. Surendra Agarwal, head ofNamaskar Agency, Neamatpur, saidthat the market in this region islargely concentrated around coalmining areas. Due to the coal mines,most people here are salariedemployees. Since they receive theirsalaries once a month, they tend topurchase household essentials for theentire month at one time. Along withthis, they also buy agarbatti, dhoop,and other puja materials. This is themain reason why there is a higherdemand for large and heavier packs inthis region, as most customers preferbulk purchases.
He added that in Chittaranjan and Durgapur,fancy items are more popular because there area large number of railway employees in theseareas. From this perspective, Asansol can beconsidered a mixed market.
Responding to a question from Sugandh India, Mr.Agarwal said that in Asansol, the highest demand is forpouch and jumbo packs, particularly the 425-gram packpriced at an MRP of ₹160. He mentioned that he has beenin the dhoop and agarbatti business in Neamatpur for thepast 25 years. Initially, when the Cycle brand waslaunched in Bengal, he became its sub-distributor. Later,he supplied brands such as Ashoka Trading BharatDarshan, Balaji, BIC Panchvati, and Big Bell acrossAsansol, Chittaranjan, Jamuria, and Burnpur. He addedthat their supply network also covers Kulti andNeamatpur, reaching around 900 retail counters. Theirproducts also reach several wholesale counters.
Answering another question, he said that Balajiproducts are the most popular in the region. Apart fromthis, brands like Amrutha, Bharat Darshan, and Zed Blackalso perform well. He explained that brand preferencevaries according to specific localities. There is particularlystrong demand for Balaji’s economy packs, especially the425-gram pack priced at ₹160. He further stated thatagarbatti usage is still dominant in the region, with morethan 85% of consumers using agarbatti, while theremaining 15% use dhoop sticks, cones, dry sticks, andsambrani cups. Wet dhoop by Balaji sells very well in theirmarket, and the Signature zipper packs are also in gooddemand.
He noted that every brand has both a low-range and apremium product that performs well. Zed Black andMangaldeep have a strong market presence. In sambranicups, Naivedya is the top-selling brand, although BIC isconsidered the best in quality. In addition, Balaji’sBhimseni camphor also sells well at their outlet.
