Asansol is a Mixed Economy–Premium Market: Surendra Agarwal, Namaskar Agency, Neamatpur
Asansol has a mixed market for agarbatti and dhoop products. Sharing this information, Mr. Surendra Agarwal, head of Namaskar Agency, Neamatpur, said that the market in this region is largely concentrated around coal-mining areas. Due to the coal mines, most people here are salaried employees. Since they receive their salaries once a month, they tend to purchase household essentials for the entire month at one time. Along with this, they also buy agarbatti, dhoop, and other puja materials. This is the main reason why there is a higher demand for large and heavier packs in this region, as most customers prefer bulk purchases.
He added that in Chittaranjan and Durgapur, fancy items are more popular because there are a large number of railway employees in these areas. From this perspective, Asansol can be considered a mixed market.
Responding to a question from Sugandh India, Mr. Agarwal said that in Asansol, the highest demand is for pouch and jumbo packs, particularly the 425-gram pack priced at an MRP of ₹160. He mentioned that he has been in the dhoop and agarbatti business in Neamatpur for the past 25 years. Initially, when the Cycle brand was launched in Bengal, he became its sub-distributor. Later, he supplied brands such as Ashoka Trading, BharatDarshan, Balaji, BIC Panchvati, and Big Bell across Asansol, Chittaranjan, Jamuria, and Burnpur. He added that their supply network also covers Kulti and Neamatpur, reaching around 900 retail counters. Their products also reach several wholesale counters.
Answering another question, he said that Balaji products are the most popular in the region. Apart from this, brands like Amrutha, Bharat Darshan, and Zed Black also perform well. He explained that brand preference varies according to specific localities. There is particularly strong demand for Balaji’s economy packs, especially the 425-gram pack priced at ₹160. He further stated that agarbatti usage is still dominant in the region, with more than 85% of consumers using agarbatti, while the remaining 15% use dhoop sticks, cones, dry sticks, and sambrani cups. Wet dhoop by Balaji sells very well in their market, and the Signature zipper packs are also in good demand.
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.
