Rains dampen cracker sales in Mysuru

Intermittent rains during the day coupled with a wet weather forecast for the next few days have dampened the enthusiasm of traders engaged in the cracker business in Mysuru.

Traditionally, the turnover of crackers for Deepavali in Mysuru has been low but declined after COVID, according to retailers in this trade. Manjunath, who has a stall at JK Grounds, said the rates have remained steady and the increase, if any, is marginal. But the demand for crackers has not seen a perceptible rise.  ‘’We are disappointed with the rains which have dampened our sales this year,’’ he added.

A similar grievance was aired by other retailers for whom the cracker business is on for only a week in the run-up to Deepavali. Stalls are installed at places authorised by the Mysuru City Corporation and any turnover in cracker sales is achieved only during these few days.

All the crackers for sale are certified as Green Crackers, according to retailers who added that this has been the norm since the pandemic.

The crackers are procured from Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu and orders are placed in bulk a few months in advance. But year after year, the retailers claim to suffer a downturn in business.

However, a few retailers on the Vishwa Manava Double Road, Kuvempunagar, and other places pointed out that a majority of the sales take place on the day of the festival or at dusk. As crackers are burst during Naraka Chaturdasi and also on Balipadyami, retailers are hoping for a surge driven by last-minute demand to drive their business, apart from clear weather during the next few days.