Pandemic hits sales of national flag ahead of Independence Day

August 15 is near, but sales of tricolour at a `khi' store here are yet to pick up amid coronavirus pandemic.

Khi Gramodyog Bhawan or `Khi Bhandar' in Aurangab sells national flags apart from various or products.

"Every year sales of flags go up to Rs 7-9 lakh rupees in August," said store manr Ramji Sawant.

"But this year sales have t yet reached even Rs one lakh yet," he told PTI on Tuesday.

manufacturing faced a hurdle when supply chain was hit by lockdown, he said.

khi cloth from which flags are me is sourced from Marathwa Khi Gramodyog Samiti, parent organisation of khi store, at Udgir in Latur district.

Coloring is done in Ahmab, Gujarat, while stitching is done in Nanded, he said.

This year manufacturing came to a halt due to lockdown. Transportation too was an issue, Sawant said.

"So we brought 700 flags in beginning of this month against 1,500 last year. But so far we have sold only 40 pieces.

"Last year we h sold around 1,200-1,300 flags in run-up to Independence Day," he ded.

Overall sales of outlet too have fallen to Rs 20,000 per day as compared to Rs 50,000 before lockdown, he said.

"Customers are t buying clos. y are buying only Ayurveda products (which also shop sells) such as soap, shampoo, face wash and items of daily need," he said.