Chennai, October 23: A matchbox will cost Rs 2 with effect from December 1. The price of matchboxes has been increased from Re 1 to Rs 2 after 14 years. The MPR of matchboxes was last revised from 50 paise to Re 1 in 2007. The decision to raise the price was taken in the meeting of the All India Chamber of Matches at Sivakasi on Thursday. A rise in prices of raw materials has been attributed to the move. Class 3 Student from Odisha Collected Over 5,000 Matchboxes from Different Countries.

A matchbox is made of 14 raw materials. According to a report by Times of India, the price of red phosphorus has climbed from Rs 425 to Rs 810 per kilogram. Similarly, the price of a kilogram of wax has increased from Rs 58 to Rs 80. Prices of outer box board and inner box board have climbed from Rs 36 to Rs 55  and from Rs 32 to Rs 58 respectively. Other raw materials required to make matchboxes such as paper, splints, potassium chlorate and sulfur have also become costlier. Commercial LPG Cylinder Price Increased by Rs 43 in Delhi.

In view of the situation, the All India Chamber of Matches passed a resolution unanimously to raise the price of matchboxes by Re 1 to Rs 2. Currently, a bundle of 600 matchboxes (with 50 matchsticks in each box) is sold for Rs 270 to Rs 300. "We have decided to increase the selling price from our units by 60% to Rs 430-480 per bundle. This is excluding 12% GST and cost of transportation," VS Sethurathinam, Secretary of the National Small Matchbox Manufacturers’ Association, was quoted as saying.

The matchbox-making industry provides direct or indirect jobs to around 4 lakh people in Tamil Nadu. Of them, 90 percent are women. By increasing the price of matchboxes, the industry hopes to pay better wages to these workers.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 23, 2021 02:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).