Hyderabad: Buying crackers this Diwali may burn your pockets as the prices of crackers have been hiked by 20 percent in the city this year.
The reason for the price hike is said to be the shift from traditional crackers manufacturing to green crackers manufacturing. A majority of manufacturers are producing crackers, free from barium nitrate and other harmful chemicals. This effort has been taken up after the Supreme Court banned the usage of inorganic compounds.
Owner of Shanti Fire Works, Sanjay Kumar Bhope, said that the hike in prices of crackers is directly proportional to the price hike of raw materials needed for manufacturing fireworks, including green crackers. He added that the shortage of crackers in the market has also contributed to the price hike.
Talking about the impact of the pandemic, Sanjay said, “We used to have a business for a month during festivals before the pandemic struck, but now we are experiencing a very low turnout. In overall, there is a 50 percent decline in the business.”
People are buying fewer crackers and are looking for alternative ways to celebrate Diwali following the heavy prices of crackers. Kapil, a resident of Badangpet, who came to purchase crackers, said the prices of crackers are increasing every year since COVID-19.
A box of flowerpots (anar) that was sold for Rs 200 to Rs 250 last year is now being sold for Rs 300.
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