National News
Retail Gold Sales Drop 25% Amid Rising Prices, Lightweight Jewelry in Demand
A 4% rise in gold prices in March has led to a significant 25% decline in retail gold sales at jewelers and a 60% drop in Zaveri Bazaar. Indian families with upcoming weddings are feeling the pinch of higher gold prices, turning to lighter, lower-carat jewelry to meet bridal jewelry demands. Despite this, demand is expected to pick up during Akshay Tritiya in April, though lightweight jewelry remains the preferred choice.
Gold prices saw a near-4% increase in the first half of March, bringing down retail sales by 25% compared to the same period last year. Zaveri Bazaar, a hub where retail jewellers buy bullion and jewelry in bulk, saw a 60% drop in sales.
Senco Gold & Diamonds, Joy Alukkas, PNG Jewellers, Mamraj Musaddilal Jewellers, and senior executives from the India Bullion & Jewellers Association mentioned that Indian families, especially those with weddings planned for the upcoming season, are stressed by the escalating prices. As a result, they are opting for lightweight jewelry, as high prices make it difficult to stick to the traditional gold jewelry budgets.
Suvankar Sen, the chief of Senco Gold, shared that sales of small-ticket gold jewelry in the ₹30,000 – ₹40,000 price range have dried up. “The high prices are keeping customers away from spending on gold,” he said. On March 18, gold was priced at ₹88,256 per 10 gm in the physical market, with a 3% Goods and Services Tax (GST), pushing the cost to ₹90,903 per 10 gm.
“Those who have weddings in the family are buying lightweight jewellery as they cannot stretch the budget. Demand has dropped by 15% beginning from March and if this rally continues, the recovery in demand may not happen. The next big sales can only happen during Akshay Tritiya, which falls on April 30,” said the MD of Senco Gold & Diamond.
Despite the rise in prices, the demand has remained sluggish in South India too. “Compared to last March, demand is down by up to 25%. While the high price is a big factor in this demand drop, other things like board exams have slowed down demand as well,” said Baby George, CEO of Joy Alukkas.
Saurabh Gadgil, chairman of PNG Jewellers, also highlighted the shift in preferences. “People are buying lightweight jewellery, and many are exchanging old gold jewellery with new ones. The volumes are getting impacted but value-wise the jewellers are not facing any issue.”
Avinash Gupta, partner at Hyderabad-based Mamraj Musaddilal Jewellers, noted that while demand has softened, it hasn’t reached alarming levels. “Demand will bounce back in April due to weddings and Akshaya Tritiya, but definitely the preference will shift to lightweight and lower caratage jewellery.”
National News
Jewellery Manufacturers Seek Tax Relief As Rising Gold Prices Inflate Inventory Valuations
Higher Gold Prices Sustained Turnover Value, But Jewellery Volumes Declined As Consumers Adjusted To Costlier Purchases.
Jewellery manufacturers in Coimbatore have submitted a representation to the Government of India seeking a review of the existing methodology for valuation of gold inventory for income tax purposes, citing significant financial pressures arising from the sharp increase in gold prices.
According to industry representatives, the closing stock value of gold held by jewellery manufacturers and retailers is currently determined on the basis of the weighted average cost of inventory available at the end of the financial year. The sector has highlighted that gold prices witnessed an increase of approximately 65 per cent between March 2025 and March 2026, resulting in a substantial rise in the book value of inventory.
Industry stakeholders have stated that while the monetary value of sales turnover may have remained comparable to the previous year due to higher gold prices, the actual quantity of jewellery sold has declined as consumers adjust to elevated price levels. Consequently, manufacturers contend that the appreciation in inventory value is being reflected in taxable income despite the absence of corresponding realised sales and cash flows.
The industry has further represented that maintaining adequate gold inventory is essential for meeting consumer demand for a wide range of designs and product categories. As a result, manufacturers are unable to significantly reduce stock holdings without affecting business operations and market competitiveness.
Particular concern has been expressed by micro and small-scale jewellery manufacturers, who report increased working capital requirements and liquidity constraints arising from taxation linked to inventory appreciation. Industry associations have requested that the Government examine alternative valuation or taxation mechanisms that more accurately reflect realised business income and cash generation.
The representation seeks consideration of suitable policy measures to address the financial impact of inventory value appreciation on jewellery manufacturers while ensuring continued compliance with taxation requirements and supporting the sustainability of the sector. Hence, the government should take separate statement of the gold stock with the manufacturers every year. It should collect advance tax based on the sales.
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