Plunge in sale of crackers this Diwali

HYDERABAD: The festival of lights is set to be less boisterous this year, thanks to a steep drop in sale of crackers both at wholesale and retail outlets. In fact, going by the trend, traders predict their business could well hit rock bottom this time. And the reasons, they add, range from disruptions owing to the bifurcation crisis and unfavourable weather conditions, to the spiraling price of crackers and diminishing interest among young to celebrate festivals.
"I have been part of this family business since the age of 12, but never before have I seen sales take such a beating," said 49-year-old Sanjay Bhupe, co-owner of Shanti Fireworks and, president, AP Fireworks Dealers Association. "So far, the sales have not even been 10 per cent of what it was last year.
We have no hope about things looking up in the coming days," he added.
The city has about 36 wholesale cracker outlets and around 20,000 retail stores that open just before Diwali. The turnover during the season is an estimated Rs 12 crore. However, with a drop in buyers, there may be a sharp drop in no. of shops too, insiders said.
Attributing a share of this trend to the state bifurcation, Bhupe said that many Andhra settlers were in no mood to celebrate this time. "Very few people from Andhra who reside in Hyderabad have come to make purchasesMost of them seem to be refraining from buying crackers on a large scale," he said.
Traders also blamed the unstable weather for the fall in sales. "Considering the continuous rains, people are wary of stocking up as they fear it might rain on Diwali day too," said K Kishan Raj, a retailer from the Old City.
Predictably, traders are now being forced to sell crackers sans profit margins. "The purchasing power of people has come down drastically over the years and that's also affected our business," said wholesale trader Mohan Rao of Bhavani Trading Company, Secunderabad.
"Last time, I like many retail outlet owners incurred losses to the tune of lakhs of rupees. So many like me do not want to take a chance this time around," said K Rajendra, who used to set up stall at Sanathnagar every Diwali.
"Previously, it was the younger lot that indulged the most in buying crackers. It was a way of celebration. But now most of them aren't interested and prefer to spend time either in front of the TV/ computer or with friends," he added.