Rising Silver Prices Push Mithai Makers to Cut Back on Traditional Vark
Rising Silver Prices Push Mithai Makers to Cut Back on Traditional Vark
Festive sweet boxes across India are beginning to look a little different this season. The familiar silver gloss that once crowned favourites such as kaju katli and barfi is slowly disappearing from shop counters, as soaring silver prices force sweetmakers to rethink the use of vark, the delicate edible foil long associated with celebration and quality.
Prices of silver vark have nearly doubled over the past year, reaching around ₹1,400 for a bundle of 150 sheets. Faced with higher costs, many mithai makers have started replacing the silver garnish with pistachios, saffron and other dry fruits. This shift has resulted in a 25–30% decline in demand for silver vark from Rakshabandhan through the recently concluded wedding season.
The slowdown in vark usage comes alongside a sharp rally in silver prices. Data from the India Bullion & Jewellers Association shows that silver has climbed from ₹86,005 per kilogram on January 1 to more than ₹1.92–2 lakh per kilogram currently, significantly increasing costs for vark manufacturers and users alike.
Arik Jain, managing director of Ahmedabad-based Jainam Silver Products, said silver prices have risen steeply over the past six months, forcing producers to double the cost of silver vark. As margins come under pressure, many sweetmakers who traditionally relied on vark are now turning to dry fruits to enhance the visual appeal of their products.
Vark is an ultra-thin foil made from pure metal, most commonly silver, though gold vark is also used for high-end offerings. While it is often linked with North Indian sweets, its use extends across the country. Firoz Haider Naqvi, director-general of the Federation of Sweets and Namkeen Manufacturers, noted that consumers in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar often perceive sweets topped with silver vark as superior in quality.
To manage rising input costs, several sweetmakers raised prices by 5–10% after Diwali. Others chose not to pass on the increase, fearing a drop in sales, and instead absorbed the impact through lower margins. Bharat Agarwal, director of Delhi-based Shyam Sweets, said the company has stopped using silver vark altogether, opting for dry fruits as the foil has become uneconomical.
Some confectioners continue to use vark but in reduced quantities. According to Naqvi, many shops have shifted from manual application to automated methods, allowing thinner layers of silver foil to be applied more efficiently and with less waste.
At the premium end, demand remains steady for gold vark, especially during weddings and major festivals. Sweets garnished with gold vark can cost between ₹25,000 and ₹50,000 per kilogram, while kaju katli with silver vark typically sells for ₹1,800–₹2,000 per kilogram in markets such as Delhi and Mumbai.
