Calendar, diary business hit in Chennai

Chennai: Calendar and diary industry has been hit by demonetisation move. Orders for New Year's gifts like diaries, calendars and other items have not been placed yet and those involved in the trade predicting huge loss for them. Christmas and New Year will lose their fervour as companies and individuals are staying away from booking corporate gifts, admit industry sources in the stationary business.

When DC visited Bunder and Anderson streets in Parry's that deals with the wholesale stationary business in Chennai, the traders vented out admitting their business had been affected by more than 50 per cent. "By the third week of November, the printing press would be busy churning out calendars and diaries and our supply to retailers end of November last week, but this year the orders have reduced drastically," said K. Muthuvel of SM Stores in Parry's. Though the big corporates are going in for cheque and online payments, the customers who come for placing small orders of calendars and diaries, which are usually less than 500 pieces have reduced significantly, he added.

"Both the wholesale and the retail business in Parry's is adversely affected. The footfall has declined by more than 40 per cent and without currency in hand the public is staying away from buying diaries and calendars", said Vel Murugan of Thulasiraman & Co. Orders from companies located in Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Karaikudi have dropped this season, he added.

"There are more than 2,000 shops located in Parrys doing the seasonal business. This year the Deepavali cracker sales went down in October, after that there was no rain affecting the raincoat and umbrella business. Now with the demonetisation the sale of stationary during Christmas and New Year is hit", said Kasim Mohammad, a retailer in Flower Bazaar.