Chennai firecracker traders face low sales due to price hikes and rain
Delayed licence approvals and rising costs have left vendors with only three days to sell their stock before Diwali.
Firecracker vendors at the Island grounds in Chennai are seeing low customer footfall due to high prices and cloudy weather, according to The Times of India.
Traders reported that delays in licence approvals pushed the start of sales to Wednesday, leaving them with only three days to sell stock instead of the usual 10 days.
Vendor Syed Sultan said that many customers who intended to buy crackers on Tuesday left without any purchases. He noted that prices have risen by 20 to 25 per cent this year because of increased manufacturing and transport costs.
Trader V Sudhakar said the delay caused them to miss the weekend before Diwali, which is typically a busy period for families. He added that they are now struggling to recover costs for rent and labour.
While the Indian Meteorological Department has not issued an official forecast, some weather bloggers suggest an easterly wave might bring rain to coastal areas during the Diwali weekend. Trader Raja Muhammad said they are hoping for dry weather to allow sales to peak on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Despite the challenges, some customers like Murali N from Koyambedu said his family is planning a grand celebration. Resident A Muthukrishnan added that the industry needs support within existing regulations as Tamil Nadu is a large market for crackers.