Rising Crude Prices Push Up Cost Of Poll Campaign Materials In Bengal

Rising crude prices amidst the West Asia crisis are driving up costs of flex banners and other election campaign materials in poll-bound West Bengal, industry sources said.

Printers and representatives of the plastic industry said packaging and flex printing costs have risen by around 15–20 per cent in recent weeks as petrochemical feedstock prices moved up following supply disruptions linked to the West Asia situation.

Since plastic granules used in the manufacture of flex banners are derived from crude oil, fluctuations in crude prices have a direct bearing on the production cost of campaign materials widely used during elections, printing industry representatives said.

KK Seksaria, former president of the Plastindia Foundation, said raw material prices in the plastics value chain have surged sharply due to global supply disruptions.

"There is a huge impact," Seksaria said, adding that the government’s recent 7.5 per cent duty cut for three months may provide some relief to manufacturers and users.

Printers engaged in producing campaign banners said the rise in input costs has translated into higher printing charges.

Traders in Burrabazar, one of the largest wholesale hubs for election merchandise, said demand for campaign materials such as flags, banners and scarves has started picking up as candidates begin filing nominations.

"Demand for election materials is on the rise, and orders are firming up with the nomination process underway. We expect more traction in the coming days as the campaign intensifies," an election material dealer in Burrabazar said.

Dealers said prices of several campaign materials are already higher compared with the 2024 Lok Sabha election cycle, partly due to higher raw material costs.

Traders estimate that the overall market for campaign merchandise across the state could cross Rs 500 crore this election season.