GUWAHATI: Guwahati city has seen the highest number of sales of condoms among the North East states in 2021. As per a popular condom company distributor, the average sales in the North East in 2021 have been a value of Rs 30 to 35 lakhs per month. Out of which, the figures for Guwahati are Rs 20 to 22 lakhs per month.
The demand for premium condoms is more in urban spaces as opposed to rural ones. As such, the city has witnessed higher sales in the premium segments. The trend is similar for most of the popular condom distributors in the North east region. Interestingly, the sales of condoms are higher during the winter months, especially the tourist and wedding season across North East India.
G Plus spoke to a few of the pharmacists in the city who also corroborated that the sales of condoms are higher during the winter months.
According to a few pharmacy proprietors in the city, condoms are being purchased more by youngsters.
"In my pharmacy, youngsters are buying it more. This is a good sign that they are practicing safe sex," a proprietor of a pharmacy in the Panbazar area of Guwahati told G Plus.
As per the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-2021), less than one in ten men use condoms in India, with more than four women out of ten opting to undergo sterilisation to avoid pregnancy. The data shows that female sterilisation continues at high rates, indicating the rising burden of family planning on women. Female sterilisation has gone up for the entire country from 36% in NFHS-4 (2015-2016) to 37.9% in NFHS-5.
India reported a dip in its total fertility rate in 2019-21 versus 2015-16 due to the increased use of contraceptives. As such, the usage of condoms can be considered a positive step in lowering the fertility rate and sharing the burden of family planning.