China-made fireworks and crackers are experiencing a lively New Year holiday season in Finland, occupying more than 90 percent of the country's fireworks market, Finnish news daily Kaleva reported on Thursday.

In recent years, fireworks display and setting off crackers have gradually become a New Year routine in Finland. It is estimated that Finns spend nearly 10 million euro on firecrackers every year. Most are bought by males aged between 20 and 40.

Leif Nielsen, manager of a Finnish firecrackers company, said that production costs are much lower in China than in Finland or other European countries. Only 10 percent of his company's firecrackers are made in Finland while 90 percent are out-sourced to Chinese counterparts, said Nielsen.

Nielsen's company is the only Finnish company that produces firecrackers. It is also the largest firecrackers company in Nordic Europe.

Since the arrival of low cost Chinese firecrackers, the price of fireworks and crackers in Finnish market has dropped 20 percent in five years.

A sales agent of a Finnish firecrackers import company said that "made in China" had held nearly 100 percent of the Finnish market, not only because of its low price, but also because it had a variety of products.

According to the report, before entering the market in Finland, every cracker and firework must pass a test at the country's technology safety center. Around 5 percent of the products would be banned every year.

Source: Xinhua