Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh consumes over two lakh kilograms of ‘gulal’ during Holi. ‘Gulal’, the dry color powder, is apparently being preferred over the water colours in Holi.
According to a just-concluded survey-cum-analysis by Assocham, over 5,000 colour manufacturing units produce over five lakh kilograms of ‘gulal’ to be used on Holi across India, of which two lakh kilograms is used in Uttar Pradseh alone.
Local manufacturers of sprinklers, balloons and colours in states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and others are facing huge losses as Chinese water guns, wet and dry colours have taken over the market in a big way.
The survey by Assocham Social Development Foundation, has noted that the “Invasion of innovative and fancy Chinese Holi toys and colours despite the union government’s efforts to promote ‘Make in India,’ is making the survival difficult for small manufacturers, most of whom have been engaged in this business for decades.
The Indian manufacturers are now facing losses to the tune of a whopping 75 per cent as only about quarter of their products find favour with customers”.
Mr D.S. Rawat, secretary general of ASSOCHAM, while releasing the findings of the chamber’s survey on Tuesday, said that there is a price difference of over 55 per cent between Chinese Holi colours and sprinklers and those made by local manufacturers which is a primary reason for former’s brisk business.
Assocham representatives interacted with over 250 manufacturers, sellers suppliers and traders of Holi colours, water guns and other such products in various cities – Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Aligarh, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Hathras, Indore, Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mathura, Meerut, Mumbai, Rajkot, Varanasi and others. Majority of the manufacturers said that traditional pichkaris have almost disappeared from the markets due to minimal consumer interest whereas Chinese Holi toys and colours are preferred as they are much cheaper.
