The demand for locally manufactured fireworks which fell to zero percent due to the Easter Sunday attack and island-wide pandemic situation during the past two years has now recorded a 75 per cent increase in sales, the All Island Fireworks Association (AIFA) said.
It is said during the past two years almost all firework manufacturers faced immense hardships due to the uncertain situation in the country.
Speaking to Daily News Business AIFA, Chairman Dinesh Fernando said nearly 200 fireworks manufacturers and over 75,000 people and their families at Kimbulapitiya and few other fireworks manufacturing areas in the country depend on fireworks manufacturing especially during the main festival seasons including the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Christmas , Vesak, Poson, Deepavali and Thai pongal.
The AIFA further says that in addition people use fireworks at weddings and other religious and cultural festivals. The crackers are also used by villagers in agricultural areas to protect their cultivations from birds and animals.
He also thanked authorities for taking measures to stop importing fireworks following requests made by manufacturers.
The legend says that manufacturing fireworks commenced in ancient Ceylon at Kimbulapitiya during Portuguese period and it later extended to few other main cities including Kandy, Galle, Kurunegala and Ratnapura.
The AIFA Chairman said as a result of the Easter Sunday attack and the pandemic situation people did not use fireworks and manufacturers had to abandon the idea of manufacturing fireworks.
He said manufacturers have already obtained large sums of money from banks and individual money lenders on high interest rates to purchase chemicals such as aluminium, potassium and other main raw materials which are imported from countries such as Israel , China, spain and India.
He also requested authorities to pay attention towards introducing an insurance scheme as a welfare measure for the protection of fireworks manufacturers in the country.
