Scarcity of quality ekel brooms in market

Nimal Wijayatunga - Eheliyagoda special correspondent

There is a scarcity of long-time usable quality ekel brooms in and around Eheliyagoda, mainly due to poor production of this very essential household item. Housewives complain that they have to purchase several brooms a month, due to the poor quality of brooms presently available. They state that either the fibre of the brooms fall off at the touch, the zinc plate nailed to the fibre come off or the handle of the broom break in no time.

They state that as a result, they incur additional expenses in being compelled to purchase two or three brooms a month.

A broom maker of Wiyalagoda, close to the Eheliyagoda town said that scarcity of coconut ekles as well as arecanut chips for the handles of brooms are some reasons for poor ekel broom production.

A kilo of coconut ekles is Rs. 40 and a well-grown arecanut trunk is Rs. 500 at present. No new comer enters the production of brooms” he stated.

Several traders told the Daily News that quality brooms very rarely come to the market at present.