A dying flicker

By Randi Goonetilleke

The country's black hours should have at least spelt some light to an industry that so far has enjoyed only seasonal success. Candles are in normal times more in demand only around Christmas and other festivals, with demand slack at other times of the year. So the candlemakers should have been rejoicing over the sudden unprecedented demand which would guarantee them profits galore. 

Instead they are in the doldrums. According to many candle manufacturers there is a huge demand for candles, but the supply is well below demand, due to the lack of machinery and in an ironic twist, the electricity to run the candle-making machines regularly.

"This is a dead cottage industry. The paraffin wax which is used to make candles is an imported item and it's very expensive these days. Prevailing economic problems too have had a negative impact on our business. If this changes we can produce more and more," said a leading candle manufacturer.

"We have not increased our sales. We cannot do it because we have only one machine. We produce 100 pieces a day. One packet contains 40 candles priced at Rs. 65. Thirty cases are sent to the market. People call us and ask for candles but we have no way of supplying them," said another disgruntled manufacturer. 

Last week, however, the price of a packet of candles had shot up by Rs. 5 and the demand by 25 per cent, market information indicated.

The manager of Star Light candle manufacturers, Gamini Senarathne said the demand for candles has gone up by 300 per cent, yet he too sees only the dark side. For they buy the paraffin wax from the blackmarket. 

The price of 50 kg of wax has exceeded Rs. 4500 while before the power crisis, the same quantity cost Rs. 2500. The price of a packet of candles, meanwhile, has increased from Rs. 50 to Rs. 60, each packet having 40 candles.

Sales Manager of Lankem, Jothi Kumar said their sales of candles have risen sharply. "Before the power crisis we used to send 120, 000 candles to the market monthly, but now it's gone up to 300,000 per month." 

Any effort to get trade information is unsuccessful as there seems to be no monitoring of the business by the government. No candle business is registered with the Registrar of Companies. The Ministry of Industries too does not seem to have a direct grip on the trade. In most cases the candle-making businesses are run as a 'cottage industry' like pottery, poultry, dairy farming, weaving, etc. 

But the public feel strongly that they have to pay high prices for candles of inferior quality which burn out all too soon.

"I don't feel like going home these days because of this power cut. I'm also scared at night because I have three grown-up daughters. I have to light so many candles just for a day," complained an elderly woman on the Colombo bound 138 Maharagama bus.

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