Sivakasi cracker business roars to life before Diwali - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The production of firecrackers in Tamil Nadu's Sivakasi town is on the rise with the approaching Diwali festival. About 80 percent of the town's population is engaged in firecracker production, as it is the main source of income for people. Manufacturers said the demand for crackers has increased by ten percent from last year and workers are busy in fulfilling the retailers' demands. "This year, we have introduced a variety of Diwali crackers in our store. People are also showing a keen interest in the purchase of it. Though the price of crackers rose up to five to six percent, but still crackers are in great demand due to the high level of quality," said Maadasami Swami, the manager of a firecracker store in Sivakasi. "The main item, which we have introduced, this is the blue berry cracker, which gives different kinds of blue light after explosion," he added. "The quality of crackers is really good. I am a regular customer of crackers from many years," said Vijay Muthu, a retailer. Sivakasi is an active town and a municipality in Tamil Nadu's Virudhunagar district. It is considered as the hub of the country's firecrackers industry with around 8,000 factories, producing 90 percent of the total fireworks output. This year, the Diwali festival is taking place on November 5.