Cracker sales up by 40 per cent

Ansari, of Vettri Crackers stall, has been in the business of selling fireworks for over 25 years now. The last three years, he said, had been the worst as the rains had led to a severe decline in the sales of firecrackers. However, this year, the entrepreneur had a reason to smile. “We sold over 60 per cent of our stock. The absence of rains meant that we witnessed good sales, which started picking up over the last few days. Newer types of crackers such as the ‘jewel pots’ and ‘laser’, which provide a snazzy display, had attracted children. The customers who bought the crackers were happy and in turn, we were happy too,” said the merchant. 

He added that after the fireworks stalls were shifted to Island Grounds, following a 2009 ruling from the Madras High Court, the sales had steadily reduced. “When we were allowed to sell crackers at Parry’s Corner, we managed to sell 100 per cent of our stock. But here, due to the large number of stalls and the venue not being as accessible, we are missed out on the sales. We tried to make the best of the circumstances,” he said. 

Ali, another trader at Island Grounds, was busy negotiating the price with last-minute customers. Being the last day to sell his wares, he quickly offered a discount of 25 per cent, to dispose of them. “This time, the season started off on a high note and remained so till the day of the festival. We saw a 40 per cent increase in sales when compared to last year. In fact, we had been getting a large number of orders for noiseless crackers like sparklers and flower pots. However, manufacturers were not been able to meet the demand,” he added. 

This year, the number of stalls on Island Grounds had reduced – which helped the traders make a profit. “Last year, there were more than a hundred stalls. But this year, the number had come down to around 60. This helped us immensely as the market was concentrated and we could make extra profit,” said Aswin, who has been helping his uncle run the Periyandavar Traders stall for over seven years now. “This year, it is truly a happy Deepavali for all of us,” he concluded.