Mosquito repellent market runs into crores

The increasing affliction of communicable diseases in Kanpur has boosted the market of mosquito repellents. The insect has been blamed for spreading a number of fatal diseases like Hepatitis-E, Japanese Encephalitis, Malaria, Dengue and Chikanguinea.

According to an estimate, the money people spend on containing the bug is rising by 25-30 per cent every year. Currently, it is projected to be around Rs 18 crore per annum.

A wholesale pharmacist on Birhana road, Rajesh Tripathi told Business Standard that almost all the medical store owners now buy mosquito coils and sprays along with other medicines.

“Ten years ago, hardly 10-12 traders used to stock these drugs and the entire turnover was less than Rs 3 crore. But now it is a growing business,” said Tripathi. A number of brands are available in the market now, as opposed to just two, a decade ago. The traders entered the business, attracted by the good margins and growing demand for the product.

He also said that encouraged by the huge demand, the distributors of various brands have also opened their outlets in the city. Various local manufacturers have started producing cheaper range of these products in cottage level industries to tap the increasing market potential.

The demand is at its peak between February to May and July to November. There are various types of drugs available in the market. The coils are available for Rs 18-24 per ten pieces, liquid for Rs 36-52 per 50 ml, spray for Rs 72 per 250 ml, mats for Rs 45 per 30 pieces and creams and lotions for Rs16 per 25 grams.

A new type of mosquito hunter technology is also available in the market, which traps the mosquitoes by attracting them to static charges developed from electricity. The machine is made in China and has to be connected to a power supply before it gets charged to begin functioning.