Khadi outlets see huge dip in flag sales

Hyderabad: As Independence Day celebration are espected to be muted this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Khadi Bhandar outlets, that are usually busy selling national flags, badges, caps and other decoration material, are wearing a deserted look.

Earlier, several stationeries and book shops along with schools, colleges and offices used to buy these materials from the Khadi Bhandars.

But lack of transportation has resulted in the sales dipping by 60% this year.

“Educational institutions are yet to open, employees of private organisations are working from home and most of the business establishments have shut shop due to poor turnout. That’s why there is a poor sale of flags this year,” said Hanumantha Rao, owner of the Khadi Bhandar showroom at Nampally.

Even the government has decided to keep the celebrations low-key this year as they have to adhere to pandemic norms during the flag hoisting ceremonies.

The Khadi outlets, which procure national flags from Hubli and Nanded, did not place bulk orders. “Keeping in view the pandemic, we could not place indents for national flags. Usually, we place an order for 30 to 50 tricolour flags in different sizes as per the specifications of the Bureau of Indian Standards,” said another showroom owner in Lakdikapul.

There are two such outlets at the Gandhi Bhavan. “It’s a double whammy for us this year. The sales which are already low due to Covid are now hit hard by incessant rains,” said in-charge at the Gandhi Bhavan outlet.

The outlets are expecting the loss to be between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 30 lakh.