<p>After a two-year lull, with most of the Covid-related norms relaxed, Bengaluru is set to witness a grand Deepavali this year.</p>.<p>The prices of crackers in the city have gone up by at least 30% as compared to last year. Traders, however, said the demand for crackers, in general, had increased and trends showed a preference for soundless crackers.</p>.<p>"The demand slowly picked up last year and this year, we have reached pre-pandemic level demands though the prices are high," Madan Kumar, a wholesale dealer of crackers in Bengaluru, said.</p>.<p>Traders traced the jump in cracker prices to costlier material, damp weather, and shortage of labour. </p>.<p>"Prices of most of the materials used to make crackers have gone up. For instance, potassium nitrate which was priced at Rs 60 a kg last year now comes at Rs 145. Prices of sodium nitrate and metals used in assembling fireworks have also increased significantly. This has led to an average price jump of 30%-35%," Kumar said. </p>.<p>Another wholesale dealer said shortage of labour had resulted in a decrease in production, pushing up prices.</p>.<p>"Many of the wholesalers are yet to get the supply of crackers since most of the manufacturing companies faced a labour shortage, especially during January, February, and March, owing to the pandemic. Also, the shortage of materials has pushed down the rate of production," said Paranjothi from the Bangalore Wholesale Fireworks Dealers Association.</p>.<p>He added that many dealers had also backed out owing to the damp weather.</p>.<p>"Though more dealers are setting up stalls as compared to the pandemic years, a few dealers have backed out as they are scared that the rains might damage the products and the higher prices would only result in less demand," Paranjothi said.</p>.<p>The dealers said there was less supply of fancy crackers as opposed to the traditional ones. A few other dealers are also wary about the business owing to the rains the city has been receiving.</p>
<p>After a two-year lull, with most of the Covid-related norms relaxed, Bengaluru is set to witness a grand Deepavali this year.</p>.<p>The prices of crackers in the city have gone up by at least 30% as compared to last year. Traders, however, said the demand for crackers, in general, had increased and trends showed a preference for soundless crackers.</p>.<p>"The demand slowly picked up last year and this year, we have reached pre-pandemic level demands though the prices are high," Madan Kumar, a wholesale dealer of crackers in Bengaluru, said.</p>.<p>Traders traced the jump in cracker prices to costlier material, damp weather, and shortage of labour. </p>.<p>"Prices of most of the materials used to make crackers have gone up. For instance, potassium nitrate which was priced at Rs 60 a kg last year now comes at Rs 145. Prices of sodium nitrate and metals used in assembling fireworks have also increased significantly. This has led to an average price jump of 30%-35%," Kumar said. </p>.<p>Another wholesale dealer said shortage of labour had resulted in a decrease in production, pushing up prices.</p>.<p>"Many of the wholesalers are yet to get the supply of crackers since most of the manufacturing companies faced a labour shortage, especially during January, February, and March, owing to the pandemic. Also, the shortage of materials has pushed down the rate of production," said Paranjothi from the Bangalore Wholesale Fireworks Dealers Association.</p>.<p>He added that many dealers had also backed out owing to the damp weather.</p>.<p>"Though more dealers are setting up stalls as compared to the pandemic years, a few dealers have backed out as they are scared that the rains might damage the products and the higher prices would only result in less demand," Paranjothi said.</p>.<p>The dealers said there was less supply of fancy crackers as opposed to the traditional ones. A few other dealers are also wary about the business owing to the rains the city has been receiving.</p>
