Expect small hike in firework prices
CHENNAI/MADURAI: Chennaiites can have a blast this diwali. Firecrackers worth Rs 200 crore will be on sale in the city. And, the good news is that there would be only a marginal increase in price compared to last year with traders desperate to clear stocks which were not sold due to recession and low-key weddings. More colour, less sound and same price is Sivakasi's mantra this season
"Perhaps there is just a marginal increase in the price of firecrackers, says about Rs. 5 to Rs. 7," said R Paneerselvam a vendor in T Nagar. The most sought-after fire displays were the Meteor, Night Parachute, Assorted Cartoons, Grape Garden, Beautiful Flowers, bombs' named after actress Sneha and Snow Balls. However, fireworks named after actress Namitha (Namitha Dance) did not find their way into the city, though they are selling like hotcakes in rural Tamil Nadu.
With the festival fervour picking up, a few rules too have been amended by the government. Earlier, an individual could stock only 25 kg of firecrackers in a safe and secure environment in his or her home, 14 days prior to a wedding, function or festival. But the amended Explosives Rule 2008, permits a person now to store 100 kg of fireworks, said S Srinivasan, a senior functionary of the Sivakasi firecracker manufacturers' association. Manufacturers have also been asked to adhere to the 125 decibel level.
Meanwhile, Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu's fireworks hub, which contributes hugely to the colourful skies during Diwali, is once again gearing up for the season. With the industry just recovering from recession, it will sustain on the existing varieties and the price fixed last year.
Kaleeswari fireworks proprietor and member of the Tamil Nadu Fireworks and Amorces Association (TANFARMA), AP Selvaraj said recession affected the sales in the fireworks industry by 30%. "Hence, we have decided to sustain on the existing varieties. Our factory introduced around 80 new multi-coloured varieties between 2002 and 2005 and as the demand came down, we are not exploring new varieties now," he said.
More than 60% of the firecrackers produced throughout the year are consumed by the extravagant north Indian weddings, but they too have gone in for cost cutting measures with firework displays being one of the first items to be axed, he pointed out.
Chinese pyrotechnics use more of chloride base, but Indian fireworks depend more on nitrate-based products which have a higher melting point. Though the cost of production has gone up, manufacturers have decided to reduce their profit ratio and offer the products at last year's pricing according to P Ganeshan, vice president, of TANFARMA who owns Sony Fireworks. They were now concentrating on manufacturing firecrackers, which produce sounds less than 125 decibels as per the Supreme Court order, he said. "Customers too prefer the display fireworks compared to the noisy ones," he added.
His company however, has gone in for new products including the golden dragon', eden garden, and the Euro series which has 10 varieties. All of them could explode 30 times on reaching its destination in the air and can produce an aerial extravaganza.
Another manufacturer is introducing fireworks in tiny packets that resemble bags of goodies, just to lure children. The bags would include crackers with colour displays. Other new products by the manufacturers this year are `Namitha dance', `bursting wonders' and `vaname ellai' (the sky is the limit). So the skies will be filled with colour and design this diwali.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Expect-small-hike-in-firework-prices/articleshow/5107814.cms
"Perhaps there is just a marginal increase in the price of firecrackers, says about Rs. 5 to Rs. 7," said R Paneerselvam a vendor in T Nagar. The most sought-after fire displays were the Meteor, Night Parachute, Assorted Cartoons, Grape Garden, Beautiful Flowers, bombs' named after actress Sneha and Snow Balls. However, fireworks named after actress Namitha (Namitha Dance) did not find their way into the city, though they are selling like hotcakes in rural Tamil Nadu.
With the festival fervour picking up, a few rules too have been amended by the government. Earlier, an individual could stock only 25 kg of firecrackers in a safe and secure environment in his or her home, 14 days prior to a wedding, function or festival. But the amended Explosives Rule 2008, permits a person now to store 100 kg of fireworks, said S Srinivasan, a senior functionary of the Sivakasi firecracker manufacturers' association. Manufacturers have also been asked to adhere to the 125 decibel level.
Meanwhile, Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu's fireworks hub, which contributes hugely to the colourful skies during Diwali, is once again gearing up for the season. With the industry just recovering from recession, it will sustain on the existing varieties and the price fixed last year.
Kaleeswari fireworks proprietor and member of the Tamil Nadu Fireworks and Amorces Association (TANFARMA), AP Selvaraj said recession affected the sales in the fireworks industry by 30%. "Hence, we have decided to sustain on the existing varieties. Our factory introduced around 80 new multi-coloured varieties between 2002 and 2005 and as the demand came down, we are not exploring new varieties now," he said.
More than 60% of the firecrackers produced throughout the year are consumed by the extravagant north Indian weddings, but they too have gone in for cost cutting measures with firework displays being one of the first items to be axed, he pointed out.
Chinese pyrotechnics use more of chloride base, but Indian fireworks depend more on nitrate-based products which have a higher melting point. Though the cost of production has gone up, manufacturers have decided to reduce their profit ratio and offer the products at last year's pricing according to P Ganeshan, vice president, of TANFARMA who owns Sony Fireworks. They were now concentrating on manufacturing firecrackers, which produce sounds less than 125 decibels as per the Supreme Court order, he said. "Customers too prefer the display fireworks compared to the noisy ones," he added.
His company however, has gone in for new products including the golden dragon', eden garden, and the Euro series which has 10 varieties. All of them could explode 30 times on reaching its destination in the air and can produce an aerial extravaganza.
Another manufacturer is introducing fireworks in tiny packets that resemble bags of goodies, just to lure children. The bags would include crackers with colour displays. Other new products by the manufacturers this year are `Namitha dance', `bursting wonders' and `vaname ellai' (the sky is the limit). So the skies will be filled with colour and design this diwali.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Expect-small-hike-in-firework-prices/articleshow/5107814.cms
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