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Umbrella makers expect their prospects to change for the better this year with the prediction of good monsoon and schools reopening, even if a rise in raw material prices makes brollies costly.
The pandemic had robbed umbrella companies of normal sales in the last two years as lockdowns were imposed, people worked from home, and students shifted to online classes. With schools closed, the umbrella industry, which is estimated to be worth around Rs 1,500 crore (organised segment), lost one of its chief consumers, children.
“It seems we are back to normal. Sales are good. Schools have started and people are going to their offices. Retailers have been asking for umbrellas to stock them before the monsoon,” said Rajesh Chopra, secretary of the All India Umbrella Manufacturing Federation. Covid-19 had seen sales fall by 25-50% across the country in the last couple of years, affecting lakhs of workers in the MSME sector engaged in assembling umbrellas, most of them women.
A hike in the import duty on finished umbrellas from 10 percent to 20 percent announced in Union Budget 2022 has helped check the influx of cheaper umbrellas from China, thus giving a fillip to the local industry. The price advantage had earlier seen Chinese umbrellas capture a significant share of the Indian market, much to the chagrin of domestic players.
“Apart from the duty cut, the lockdown imposed in many cities in China also helped check imports,” said Chopra, who is also a partner and director at Sagar Sons, makers of the Happy brand of umbrellas.
While Indian umbrella prices average around Rs 200 per piece, the China-made ones sell at around Rs 150. "But this year, Indian umbrella prices may average between Rs 250 and Rs 300 because of the cost increase,’’ said Sandeep Mehta, MD of Sun Umbrellas.
Coping with high input prices
Though free from the clutches of the pandemic, umbrella makers now have to deal with the spike in raw material prices. “Retail prices may go up by 20-25% as the prices of all our raw materials, including steel, plastic and cloth, have gone up along with freight rates after the Ukraine-Russia conflict started,” Chopra said.
Mehta reckons that there could be a shortage of umbrellas as many manufacturers, unsure about the pandemic, had opted to reduce output. Production for the monsoon season, when 50-60% of the annual sales of umbrellas happen, begins in the September-October period of the previous year.
“There was difficulty in getting fabric from China because of a shortage of containers. When they arrived at Colombo port for transshipment, there was congestion there as a result of economic problems in Sri Lanka,” Mehta said.
Except for the nylon cloth used in the umbrella, the rest of the parts are manufactured in India. Earlier, the cloth used to come from Japan and then Taiwan became the supplier. As Taiwanese cloth became costly, many umbrella makers started sourcing supplies from China. "We are using the old stock of raw materials for manufacturing. The production cost could rise further next year as raw materials have become more expensive now,’’ said Mehta.
Popy and John’s are all set
In Kerala, which accounts for 20-25% of national sales, market leaders Popy Umbrella Mart and John’s Umbrella Mart, have geared up for the sales during the monsoon.
Both manufacturers used to come up with an innovative product every monsoon to jack up the sales, using the curiosity factor, until the pandemic hampered their creativity. This year, however, both companies are ready with new products. From pocket-sized nano umbrellas to those with bluetooth and selfie sticks, to umbrellas that fold in reverse, Popy has an array of innovative products.
“This time we have developed an extender umbrella that opens to a bigger size. We will decide on the price increase of the umbrellas as and when required,’’ said Popy CEO Davis Thayyil.
Not to be left behind, John’s has come up with a five-fold umbrella with a sun-protection coat and a three-fold one that has an auto open and shut mechanism.
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