But crowds at cracker stalls keep up festive spirit high

Mysore/Mysuru: Deepavali celebrations which are just three days away will definitely pinch the pocket of consumers as prices of firecrackers have gone up by 35 to 40 percent this year. According to wholesalers and retailers, the hike in prices is linked to both shortage of crackers and increase in the manufacturing costs and lack of pre-orders.

“This year we have only 70 percent of the usual stock because the majority of the big cracker brands at Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu have supplied fewer crackers owing to lack of pre-orders,” a trader told Star of Mysore. Manufacturers in Sivakasi have also reduced mass production of crackers and are only taking up production based on pre-order, he added.

Wholesalers in Mysuru city in the Hebbal area told Star of Mysore that the prices of raw materials, especially the paper used to make crackers have gone up. Now, each kilogram of paper is being sold for Rs. 27 to Rs. 45 and it is impossible to make crackers with these high prices,” he said.

Apart from paper, prices of most of the materials used to make crackers have gone up. For instance, potassium nitrate which was priced at Rs. 60 a kg last year now comes at Rs. 145. Prices of sodium nitrate and metals used in assembling fireworks have also increased significantly. This has led to an average price jump of 35 to 40 percent.

 “Usually, orders and indents are placed two to three months in advance. This year, stockists and wholesalers waited for the prices to come down and delayed the placing of indents. Now there is a huge demand for crackers at Sivakasi and the manufacturers are supplying crackers in limited quantities that are brought in bulk of 10 to 12 loads by businessmen in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana,” said Manikantha of ‘Pataki Mane’ in Hebbal.

Shortage of labour

Another wholesale dealer said that shortage of labour had resulted in a decrease in production, pushing up prices. “Many wholesalers are yet to get the supply of crackers since most of the manufacturing companies faced a labour shortage,” he added.

Harish Babu, a wholesale dealer and member of Hebbal Fireworks Dealers’ Association said that there has been good response from the public despite high prices. “This year, there are more than 10 to 15 new varieties of crackers and the buyers are spoilt for choice.

Another factor that has affected the production this year is that the manufacturers at Sivakasi have put a ceiling of Rs. 2 lakh and refused supply to people who ordered below Rs. 2 lakh. This has allowed the monopoly of only big players who purchase more than three to four loads, retail traders said.

“Continuous rains have also dampened the market and many retailers who have set shops at J.K. Grounds are facing slush and rainwater-filled grounds. Customers will not come here to buy as the grounds are soggy and filled with slush,” a retailer said.

No noise zones

Meanwhile, Mysuru City Police have declared `no noise zones’ in a radius of 100 metres around Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens (Mysuru Zoo), Kukkarahalli Lake, Karanji Lake, Lingambudhi Lake, public parks, hospitals, nursing homes, educational institutions, Court and religious places in Mysuru city from 6 am on Oct. 23, to 12 am on Oct. 26, under the Rule C of Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000.