Covid-19 impact: Surat kite makers face slump in business ahead of Uttarayan festival
Dec 03, 2020
Surat (Gujarat) [India], December 3 : With the Uttarayan festival around the corner, kite makers in Gujarat's Surat on Thursday said their business has slumped due to coronavirus pandemic situation.
Every year, Gujarat celebrates the Uttarayan festival, i.e. popularly known as the festival of kites on January 14.
"This year's production is less as compared to previous years. The price of raw materials has also increased. People are still scared of the disease," a kite maker here told ANI.
A woman, who was making kites here, said that many people fear to buy kites this year due to the pandemic crisis.
Naresh, owner of a shop selling kites said, "I have been selling kites for the last 50 years. Kites are mostly made in Surat, Baroda and Khambat and many other places in Gujarat. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are facing a lot of difficulties. Our sales have dipped down."
"All the wholesalers and manufacturers who used to supply used with raw materials or finished products have reduced their production activities. I think that we can register a 50-60 per cent downfall in sales this year ", he added.
Satish Kumar, another kite seller said, "Since March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic started to rise in our country. Due to this, our sales throughout the year have been very low. Usually, during this Uttarayan festival, our sales increase, but it is so this year. Many wholesalers and retailers are scared to increase their production activities which can increase their losses."
