Surat (Gujarat) [India], November 3 (ANI): Wholesalers and vendors of firecrackers in Surat assert that there is a negligible sale this festive season, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to ANI, a vendor, Sikandar said "I used to be in the catering business. Now I sell this. I can barely afford food, there is almost no business."

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Another firecracker wholesaler, Kanhaiya Lal Supariwala said that his business is not even 25 per cent of what it used to be earlier.

"I supply goods all over India. Business is not even 25 per cent of what it used to be. It is only 12 days to Diwali but we are sitting idly. We used to have a business of Rs 30-40 crores in a year but it is not even Rs 10 crores this year," said Supariwala.

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The people across the country are facing difficulties in running their houses and now Diwali being around the corner, people are avoiding to buy crackers due to the shortage of money.

The wholesalers here claimed that they have witnessed such a financial crisis for the first time in 40 to 50 years.

The major manufacturers of firecrackers are now requesting the wholesalers to buy firecrackers from them and pay for the same after Diwali gets over but still, the wholesalers are not ready to buy firecrackers in bulk due to the fear of not selling the same. If the stock is not sold during this year the wholesalers will have to take a risk stock the firecrackers.

The retailers on the other side who used to buy firecrackers worth Rs 50,000 to 60,000 every season are now only purchasing the firecrackers worth Rs 25,000 to 30,000 to sell in the market. They are not even sure if they would be able to sell the stock but to run their households have to do something or the other. (ANI)

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