The rainy season is a beautiful time to be in Kerala with all its greenery coming out in full glory. The petrichor fills your heart with joy and the cool weather puts you in the mood to reminisce past monsoon seasons. For most Malayalees, the rains bring back memories of school days and messy puddles, of childhood years spent getting wet and hearing the sound of rain going off to sleep and waking up in the morning.
The Umbrella Market in Kerala
Monsoon is just round the corner and umbrellas will soon be pouring out of the stands. This year’s rainy season is bound to be different in the light of the pandemic but the umbrella market is expected to be unfazed. Umbrellas are a huge business in Kerala during the rainy season as it becomes a must-have for everyone. People spend a considerable amount of money when buying an umbrella, looking out for the sturdy ones that will last them that year’s monsoon.
The rainy season hits right around the time schools reopen for a new academic year and getting your kid a fancy umbrella during the school supply run is a given. As much as an umbrella is a necessity during the season, it is also a thing of pride to own a good umbrella in Kerala, how this came to be the case we fail to understand.
There is no official source of statistics, but it is believed by industry players that upto 10 million pieces of umbrellas are sold in Kerala, which is the highest for any Indian State.
Trends in Umbrellas
There is an unfathomable amount of variety in the umbrellas that hit the market during the monsoons. It is no more about the color or size of the umbrella; there are now umbrellas that have wifi and bluetooth, fans and tracking devices. When we start to think that there could possibly be nothing more one could want with an umbrella, the umbrella companies come out with something more innovative. There is also a huge market for umbrellas that target children, from trendy designs to umbrellas with water guns; a normal umbrella dulls in comparison to the more fun options.
The Popular Names in the Industry
The age long competition between Popy and John’s is well known to the people of Kerala. Each year the two companies try to outdo each other through innovative umbrella ideas. There are other names in the umbrella industry that are trusted; Colombo and Stag umbrellas are also popular in the state. Popy’s Nano and John’s H20 shake are two varieties that are looked out for, these umbrellas are convenient thanks to their size and other features.
It is also worthy to note that during the season, small industries are set up to cater to the umbrella market. The industry employs people on daily wages and functions for around three months to make the most out of the season. This indicates the demand for umbrellas in Kerala and the huge number people who venture into this business.
Television commercials to Influence the Market
Right before the onset of monsoon, TV channels are flooded with advertisements of different kinds of umbrellas. It can be gathered that the companies invest quite a lot into the adverts from how frequently these advertisements are played on the channel. Most of the advertisements attract children and the youth, the umbrellas are colorful and attractive and alongside the aesthetic they have modern features of wifi and music players as well.
The umbrellas made in Kerala are of high quality and lasts for a long time. They are also well liked by the people of other states. For Keralites their umbrella is their status symbol revealing a lot about their personality just like a car or your attire.