Covid hits sports and fitness goods trade

Nagpur, April 22

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the business fraternity including sports and fitness goods has been severely hit and they have been facing heavy financial crisis for the past one year and it continues to get worse with the passing time

City sports and fitness equipment dealers have come together and requested the authorities to provide them the solution for the problems mentioned above by either allowing the shopkeepers to deliver the goods directly to customers through home delivery, that too for a limited period of time during the day or else could be given permission to operate for an hour or two.

According to Harsh Varma of India Sports in and around Nagpur, there are more than 100 sports goods dealers besides dealers of health fitness items.Efforts are being made to bring all the dealers together in the interest of all.

He said all the schools, other institutions, clubs, playgrounds, swimming pools, etc are kept closed on account of Covid-19 from last fourteen months continuously which has considerably added to the financial losses of the dealers.

" Everybody knows that sports retail and wholesale business is totally dependent of its purchase from other states. And we need to make advance payments to get the supplies in time, which is heavily suffering on various counts, such as payment to suppliers, GST and other taxes, staff salary, rent, electricity, bank interest and EMI on loans. Moreover there has been no aid provided by the government on the aforementioned problems", he said.

Another dealer said most of the shopkeepers are receiving over 100 phone calls a day from customers, half of them being for the demand of indoor sports goods and fitness goods such as dumbbells, rods, plates etc. The sale of these items will help the general public to stay busy which further will encourage them to abide by the rules of staying at home, helping the government authorities in a positive way.

The consumption of sports items is much less in and around Nagpur, reasoning its cost, transport charges, taxes, availability of space and motivation etc. Therefore there is absolute need to promote sports activities more enthusiastically for the good health of the children and for opening new avenues to choose the career of their choice. " We have also observed the other states are taking keen interest in promoting the sports activities which helps the sports dealers to improve their business. We therefore want the sports goods to reach the respective customers to keep them physically fit and have a positive mental outlook", he said.