The All Island Fireworks Association (AIFA) said in comparison to the previous year firecracker manufacturing industry at Kimbulapitiya has come to a standstill to a certain extent and only a limited number of crackers are manufactured during this festive season owing to the shortage of imported chemicals.
Speaking to Daily News Business AIFA, President Dinesh Fernando said even during the Covid-19 period from 2021- 2022 firecracker manufacturers at Kimbulapitiya had to face severe financial hardships.
He said although several requests were made by manufacturers from authorities they had not taken measures to import required chemicals and the available chemicals were also very expensive.
“As a result nearly 40% fireworks manufacturers have stopped manufacturing firecrackers,” he said. Fernando said currently there was a massive shortage of nitrates, potassium and aluminum powder which are the main chemicals used to manufacture firecrackers. He said the already finished firecrackers were manufactured using available chemicals and they have also been distributed to traders.
Fernando said unless taking immediate measures to import chemicals manufacturers will stop producing crackers for the forthcoming Xmas and New Year seasons. He said there are over 225 authorized fireworks manufacturers at Kimbulapitiya and nearly 50,000 people depend on the industry. He said focusing attention towards manufacturers by authorities is not sufficient as they should know firecrackers are used not only during X’mas, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year seasons but also Vesak, Poson, Deepavali and Thai Pongal seasons.
“The crackers are also used by event organizers, hoteliers to entertain local and foreign tourists, organizers of religious and cultural ceremonies etc,” he said.
The legend says that manufacturing fireworks commenced in ancient Ceylon at Kimbulapitiya during the Portuguese period and it later extended to a few other main cities including Kandy, Galle, Kurunegala and Ratnapura.